19/04/2016 Session
Young people should be given all the tools they need to acquire the skills required to build a pluralistic society based on solidarity, democratic values and human rights. And it is not possible to acquire these skills without a quality education in democratic citizenship, human rights and intercultural dialogue, of which school must be one of the pillars.
In adopting a resolution based on a report by Jacques Legendre (France, EPP/CD), the Assembly welcomed the development by the Council of Europe of a European Framework of Competences for a culture of democracy and intercultural dialogue. The purpose of this tool is to raise awareness among policy-makers and prompt them to review their education policies and reformulate the objectives of these policies by adjusting school curricula and allocating “the necessary resources to education for democratic citizenship”.
The adopted text also highlights the need to ensure that the results of education in democratic citizenship are recognised, that human rights are respected and intercultural dialogue is fostered both for pupils and for teachers, school heads and the other individuals concerned.
The parliamentarians welcomed the efforts to co-ordinate Council of Europe activities with the work of other international organisations, especially the institutions of the European Union, UNESCO, the OECD, UNHCR and the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA).