16-18 October 2014, Vienna (Austria)
This year’s NECE Conference will look at the meaning of the centenary of the First World War for European citizenship today, and ask how citizenship education can help to solve or prevent conflicts and friction at the local, national and transnational levels. Further information will be available soon.
Pre-registration is possible via e-mail: nece-vienna2014@lab-concepts.de

28 January 2014, Brussels (Belgium)
The NECE New Year's Reception on 28 January 2014 in Brussels brought together European policymakers and stakeholders in citizenship education to discuss issues in the run-up to the EP elections 2014. Doris Pack, MEP expressed in her statement that the trend of declining voter turnout will come to end in the EP election in May, but that it is worrying that a lot of people will vote for populist and extremist parties. In addition, she pointed out that indeed there is a ‘democratic deficit’ in the EU, which won´t disappear by just changing the EU Treaties or making it more transparent, but by changing the basis for a public debate. In her opinion, it is crucial to approach young people with suitable programmes like ERASMUS+, Europe for Citizens and European Volunteering etc. Afterwards there was a lively panel discussion between Doris Pack, well-known Dutch author and publicist Paul Scheffer, and Alicja Pacewicz from the Center for Citizenship Education in Poland.
At the end, the transnational initiative Vote Match Europe presented the first outcomes of their project. The new Vote Match 2014 for the election of the European Parliament will be online at the end of April, and for the first time the online voting tool will be able to compare the voting results with all European parties.
Please find the documentation of the NECE New Year´s Reception at: NECE New Year´s Reception

From 8-11 December 2013, the Goethe-Institute Cairo, together with the Tahrir Lounge gathered an audience committed to the cause of civic education in the historical premises of Bibliotheca Alexandrina. In partnership with the Hanns Seidel Foundation, the German Federal Agency for Civic Education and the Center for Democracy and Social Peace Studies, the conference developed a set of 57 recommendations
Read the full article at: NECE FG Exchange between Europe and North Africa

The group members gathered on 11 December 2013 in Alexandria (Egypt) in a follow-up meeting to the Civic Education Conference (CEC 2013). The event began with an exchange on recent developments, including the introduction of the transformation partnership project “Leading Change Across the Mediterranean”, a cooperative programme involving Germany, Egypt and Tunisia. “The project’s publication – entitled ‘Training Manual for Community Leadership in Transformation Countries’ – is a further milestone”, explained project manager Susanne Ulrich. Subsequent discussions at the meeting targeted questions of experiences from NECE exchanges. Participants from both Europe and North Africa said they felt that the previous exchange had been interesting and stimulating for their own work. In discussions on citizenship education, they particularly enjoyed the meetings’ different perspectives and contributions, which were “enormously enriching” for their own work. Many also mentioned how exciting it was to discover that even though participants came from different backgrounds, they were able to identify plenty of common issues and topics at this level of political education. A major final conclusion was that this lead to changes in mutual perception, as well as to questions that are worth pursuing together. A number of networking and exchange projects were also proposed at the meeting, and the group intensely discussed the question of how to bring NGOs and CSOs in the region together in order to form a network association similar to NECE. Networking and the planned publication will continue to be the core topics at future events.
Along with more information on the Focus Group “Exchange between Europe and North Africa”, the full report of the meeting has been published on the NECE FG Exchange between Europe and North Africa.

The Focus Group met again at the NECE Conference in The Hague in November 2013. Information on the project’s current status and the first results of the initial meetings can be found on our website on Hard-to-reach learners and youth. A working programme is about to kick off, and more information on this and the Focus Group’s next meeting in July 2014 will be available soon.
For further information and enquiries, please contact: focusgroup-hardtoreach@lab-concepts.de

With support from the Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations (IFA) zivik programme and in collaboration with the John D. Gerhart Center for Philanthropy and Civic Engagement at the American University in Cairo and the Arab Institute for Human Rights in Tunis, the Center for Applied Policy Research at the University of Munich has launched a set of programmes aimed at promoting and networking young leaders with representatives from civil society, political parties, media, the private sector and academia in both the Arab transformation countries and Europe. Two parts of the programme on offer are the ‘Young Leaders Forum (YLF)’ – a dialogue and workshop programme that aims to bring together emerging leaders from Arab transformation countries and Europe – and the 'Workshop for Community Leaders', which has been developed in a highly participatory style. The “Training Manual for Community Leadership in Transformation Countries” will evaluate the programme’s outcomes.
For more information, please visit: Center for Applied Policy Research

The project offers eight cultural organisations based in Germany and other European countries (including Turkey) a unique opportunity to establish long-term cooperation links with partner organisations from the Arab countries across the Mediterranean. An exchange and knowledge development programme, Tandem/Shaml allows culture professionals from many different disciplines to acquire the skills they need to engage in long-term cooperation across borders. The Tandem process provides hands-on possibilities for gaining real insights into a newly emerging Arab cultural scene, but also for gaining practical experience in collaboration in a field that is changing rapidly across Europe.
Find out more at: Tandem / Shaml

The “Be the Change” platform seeks to connect people from across the world, through the sharing of stories, skills and lessons learnt. It invites you to share stories of campaigns from across the world and become part of a growing global movement for positive social change. The "Be The Change" website is the first part of a two part campaign which includes an online platform and a global day of citizen action. The idea of 'civic space' is integral to the campaign and can be more easily understood as the freedom to speak out (freedom of expression), to organise (freedom of association) and to take action (freedom of assembly). The first global day of citizen action will be in June this year. The platform will allow people to share their activities for this day of action and work together to organise, speak out, and take action within their communities to claim their civic space.
Find out more at: Be the Change

The first report of the New Pact for Europe project reflects the work and discussions of a Reflection Group that includes EU experts from different Member States, analyses the 'state of the Union', describes the key challenges Europe faces and presents five potential strategic options for the future of European integration. To help generate ideas for future action, the report will be discussed between December 2013 and April 2014 by citizens, politicians, policymakers and key stakeholders in about 50 events taking place in many EU countries.
Read the executive summary at: New Pact for Europe.

A total of 62 European networks of associations and NGOs backed up by 22 coalitions at the national level have joined forces to form the European Year of Citizens Alliance 2013 (EYCA). One of the main goals of this broad cross-sectoral and transnational network is to ensure that active citizenship is understood as an ongoing theme that touches on all of Europe’s public policy debates. After a year-long reflection and consultation process, the EYCA is now presenting its key proposals for the reinforcement and enhancement of active citizenship in Europe.
Read more at: EYCA

DARE saw the European Year of Citizens Alliance 2013 (EYCA) as an opportunity to get the issue of citizenship education back on the European agenda. The DARE network views creating an integrated and connected understanding of a number of educational fields as formative for European citizenship, and continues to ask for a European programme to support training in this field to promote interconnected and cascading effects in Europe’s democratic societies. From the perspective of DARE, the EYC therefore represents a missed opportunity for the EU, which passed up a chance to meet these urgent needs by formulating an adequate future funding programme.
Read the full report here: DARE

Human Rights Education Associates (HREA), Amnesty International, Soka Gakkai International and nine other organisations have launched “Human Rights Education 2020” – a global coalition of civil society organisations that aims to promote human rights education by supporting and strengthening the implementation of existing international standards and commitments. HRE 2020 will seek to ensure a systematic monitoring of governments’ implementation of human rights education provisions in international human rights instruments, including the UN Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training and the World Programme for Human Rights Education.
For more information, please visit: HRE 2020

SOLIDAR has launched the new briefing paper “Empowering people through non-formal and informal learning”, which defines a practical approach to Building Learning Societies. The paper highlights how non-formal and informal learning in a community-based setting is an active step towards meeting the challenges our societies face today – and empowers people to fully participate in society in a democratic, social, economic and cultural way in order to find new pathways for the future.
For more information, check out: SOLIDAR

Investment in education is a priority area in the Europe 2020 strategy. The lack of recent information on public investment in education in Europe, however, makes it difficult to monitor and discuss this topic, to pinpoint the factors behind changes to educational investments, or to analyse recent reforms undertaken by countries within their respective budgetary frameworks. Eurydice has therefore produced the National Sheets on Education Budgets in Europe 2013, which provide the most recent data on planned education expenditure in Europe.
For more information, head for: European Commission News

This programme sets out annual topics of focus to supplement its list of established priorities. In 2014, Funding Area 1 topics include raising European historical consciousness on the centenary of the start of hostilities in the First World War, the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the 10th anniversary of the EU’s expansion into countries in central and eastern Europe. In Funding Area 2, which focuses on democratic commitment and citizen participation, the topics are the 2014 European parliamentary elections and participation in democratic life in the EU.
For more information (in German): Kontaktstelle "Europa für Bürgerinnen und Bürger"

The group of publishers and editorial team supported by the EU-CoE youth partnership has now published the call for papers for the third issue of its new annual series on youth policy, research and practice, “Perspectives on Youth: European Youth Partnership Series” in English, French and German. The new issue will focus on the theme “Love and hate in contemporary Europe: how ‘healthy’ is the present and future for young people?” Submission deadline is 2 March 2014.
For more information, head for: EU-CoE Youth Partnership

This JSSE-issue celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Portuguese “carnation revolution”, but also expands beyond this event and deals with the relationship between Memories and Revolution, as well as political change in various continents and historical periods. The editors welcome papers from a variety of disciplines and fields (education, history, political science, sociology, psychology etc.) from countries both within and beyond Europe’s borders. Papers that address how memories of the past are integrated into citizenship education for younger generations are also relevant. Deadline for first submissions is 15 April 2014.
For more information, head for: Journal of Social Science Education

The Summer Academy taking place from 20-28 June 2014 in Cetinje (Montenegro) is based on a whole-school approach to EDC/HRE and addresses different spheres of school life, among them teacher competence, learning and teaching activities, democratic school governance and partnership with the local community. This approach encourages the active participation of all stakeholders in school life to build an environment where the principles of human rights and democracy can be learned and practiced. Application deadline is 28 February 2014.
For more information, head for: The European Wergeland Centre

The two-year EU youth project “Team Up” is aimed at encouraging societal and civic commitment in young people, as well as their competence in media-related activities. The first seminar within the framework of the “Journalist Academy on Civic Involvement” is slated to take place in Münster’s Bennohaus venue in April 2014. 16 participants from Germany and the EU are invited to take part in the eight-day event beginning on 31 March. The seminar is aimed at under-30s who work, study or volunteer in the fields of media and journalism. Application deadline is 1 March 2014.
Click here to view the programme or to apply.

24-25 February 2014, Berlin (Germany)
Under the slogan “Europe – Do It Yourself!”, the Jugend für Europa programme, the German Federal Agency for Civic Education (bpb) and the European Movement Germany (EBD) are organizing this forum looking at how Europe can be actively shaped and what European-related youth education can do to promote that process. The event is meant to provide stimulation and motivation in work with young people by providing insights into current European policy affairs and suggesting approaches for stoking interest in European civic commitment.
To find out more, check out: Jugend für Europa

17-18 March 2014, Cologne (Germany)
In the last few years, support for right-wing populist and extremist parties has grown steadily. Now political players on the far right are gearing up for the European elections 2014 and are expected to receive a noticeable increase in votes. European politicians are warning that the rising influence of parties espousing positions that range from Euro-scepticism to outright rejection of the EU will make European integration much more difficult. At this internationally oriented conference, well-known academics and journalists from Europe and the US will sketch out and analyse the evolution of these forces. Workshops will offer an opportunity to discuss and examine topics that include anti-Semitism, anti-Islamism, anti-Ziganism and the growing rejection of the EU and of European ideas from the perspective of different countries. Please register before 28 February 2014 here.
For more information, head for: Federal Agency for Civic Education

3 March 2014, Berlin (Germany)
The European Parliament and the initiative “A Soul for Europe”, together with the Allianz Kulturstiftung, invite actors from civil society, business, politics, and European cities to attend the Berlin Conference, which precedes the 2014 European elections. For the first time in the history of the EU, the European Parliament’s political groups will nominate supranational top candidates for the post of European Commission President. The leading representatives of the major European parties are invited to discuss their visions for the future of Europe with European artists and intellectuals. The second part of the conference day will be dedicated to a debate on Europe 100 years after WWI and the potential of culture for building a future Europe of Europeans instead of a Europe for Europeans.
For more information, head for: A Soul for Europe

23 April to 9 May 2014
The focus of the Austrian Citizenship Days in 2014 is a geopolitically more limited Europe – the EU, whose Parliament elections will take place in spring 2014 – as well as the greater Council of Europe. In 2014, with the accession of Croatia, it will comprise 28 member states.
The Citizenship Days will draw attention to both Europe Days, the 5th of May 1949, when the Council of Europe was founded, and the 9th of May 1950, when the EU came into being. They are a forum for all topics related to citizenship education and will provide an opportunity to discuss and offer manifold approaches, including outreach programmes, discourses, and methods. The European Parliament elections, as well as the conclusion of Austria’s Chairmanship of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, will occur in May 2014. This creates an opportunity for future-oriented discussions, while significant historic anniversaries are a time to analyse how the past relates to today: as Europe 100 years ago: the Great War, and Europe 75 years ago: the beginning of World War II, as well as Europe 25 years ago: fall of the Berlin Wall.
The Citizenships Days also take place in Germany, Belgium and South Tirol. More information is coming soon.
For more information, head for: Austrian Citizenship Days 2014

7-11 May 2014, Berlin (Germany)
Up to 500 interested young people from all over Europe will meet at the beginning of May in Berlin at the HistoryCampus – the central core of the Europe 14I14 history festival. Europeans between 18-25 years of age will come together at the Maxim Gorki Theatre in the German capital to investigate the personal significance of the First World War to young Europeans, both in terms of their national identity and for modern-day Europe as a joint peace project. The festival’s primary focus is on creative approaches and transnational exchange. The HistoryCampus is embedded in an extensive public programme that includes an Open Campus and a supporting programme with a wide range of events such as readings, movie screenings and discussions.
For more information, head for: Europe1414

You can find more current publications on citizenship education in Europe at the NECE website.

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The NECE Newsletter is published regularly and distributed via e-mail. It is available to anyone on the www.nece.eu website. The newsletter is published by the German Federal Agency for Civic Education (bpb), which is responsible for its content according to definitions laid down by the German Telemedia Act.

Further contact information:
German Federal Agency for Civic Education
Adenauerallee 86
53113 Bonn (Germany
www.bpb.de / www.nece.eu

If you have any questions please e-mail to: nece@lab-concepts.de

The NECE newsletter contains information about current professional debates in the field of citizenship education in Europe. We hope it will serve as an important tool of communication and co-operation among stakeholders and institutions in Europe actively engaged in citizenship education. Our aim is to increase transparency for national actors in this field and for the growing NECE network.