Tomorrow Today

[

] 78

full-time education in an initiative that seeks quality in the

teaching-learning process and student retention

•

The planetary

: engaging in a high-level debate, so as to be able

to address global environmental change through sustainable

societies. Thus, the Third National Conference received 70

international observers from 43 countries, in preparation for the

International Children and Youth Conference, ‘Let’s Take Care

of the Planet’.

The Third National Conference involved the topic ‘Global environ-

mental changes: think and act in the school and in the community’.

Quality didactic materials were distributed to all secondary teach-

ing networks in the country (58,000 schools) with the objective

of contributing to improving school performance based on the

results of the Basic Education Development Index, encouraging

the inclusion of sustainability and the socio-environmental chal-

lenge in the school Political-Pedagogical Plan, and strengthening

the role of the school in constructing public education and envi-

ronmental policies. The material provided tools for navigating

environmental issues and inter-disciplinarity in the classroom,

while respecting the complexity of the subject by not over-simpli-

fying. Socio-environmental changes beyond climate change are

treated systematically and integrated into the sciences, history,

geography and languages.

The topics involved the four elements – earth, water, fire and

air – in discussion of contemporary problems affecting people

and natural systems throughout the planet. Each topic included

debate on sustainable actions for mitigative, adaptive, preventive

and transformative measures. The material proposed changes to

the world-view to protect values that improve quality of life and

rethink human responsibilities for the present and future of life on

earth. Although the material relates to the Brazilian environmen-

tal contexts and policies, several countries asked for English and

Spanish translations.

Following the Education and the Environment

Ministers’ formal invitation to all countries, the prepar-

atory year began with each country defining, adapting

and adjusting the process to its own contexts. 62 coun-

tries from all continents responded positively to the

Brazilian invitation, 52 of which constituted a National

Organizational Committee to coordinate school

processes and a National Conference, and delegations

from 47 countries participated at the international event

in June 2010. The mobilization of the Brazilian initiative

in this preparatory phase can be illustrated by some data

provided by 40 of the participating countries, which

directly involved 87,258 schools and 13,153,229 chil-

dren. In India alone, 80,000 schools and nine million

children participated!

The International Conference, a five-day intensive

event, involved 600 young students aged 12 to 15 years

from 47 countries (38 per cent from the Americas, 24

per cent from Asia/Pacific, 21 per cent from Africa and

17 per cent from Europe), who were elected by other

youth in their countries, maintaining a relatively equal

representation between gender, delegates from rural

and urban areas, capital regions and other cities, public

and private schools, and delegates from ethnically

diverse and varied cultural backgrounds. The youth

gathered to debate a subject that affects all humanity:

global socio-environmental changes with a focus on

climate change. Together they constructed the Charter

of Responsibilities, ‘Let’s Take Care of the Planet’, with

actions aimed at sustainability.

The event was organized as a community where

everyone is a learner, realizing the role of youth

as social actors capable of intervening now. The

International Conference had three dimensions: ‘youth

Hands on in agroecology, planting with nature

Continental groups: discuss responsibilities at the ‘Let’s Take Care

of the Planet conference’

Image: Ministry of Education, Brazil