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United States Participation in the 48th Session of the
UNESCO International Conference on Education, November 2008
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U.S. Ambassador to UNESCO Louise V. Oliver led the U.S. delegation to the 48th session of the International Conference on Education, hosted by UNESCO's International Bureau of Education in Geneva, from November 25-28, 2008. The delegation included Tracy Justesen, Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, and Troy Justesen, Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education, from the U.S. Department of Education, Sally Lovejoy, Education Attaché to the U.S. Mission to UNESCO, Emily Spencer, Education Program Officer, Office of International Organizations/UNESCO, Kenneth Schagrin, Trade Attaché, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and Anna Mansfield, Deputy Legal Advisor, U.S. Mission to the United Nations in Geneva.
Approximately 153 UNESCO member states, 20 intergovernmental organizations and 25 NGO's, foundations and other institutions of civil society attended the IBE Conference, which is held every four years, bringing together Ministers of Education, representatives from international organizations, and civil society representatives to discuss and exchange ideas related to a specific education-related theme. The theme for this year’s session was "Inclusive Education: The Way of the Future."
UNESCO Director General Koïchiro Matsuura opened the conference by highlighting three key issues: developing education policies to reach the most marginalized and vulnerable populations; improving the quality of education by ensuring responsive learning methods to meet the diversity of all student needs; and promoting a holistic approach to learning from early childhood education to literacy and skills development for youth and adults.
Conference participants recognized that education is a right for all, but that inclusive education will present many challenges. Among the themes that emerged were the concern that funding for education, both at the international and national levels, would diminish due to the global financial crisis, the conviction that, if we are to achieve the Education for All
Goals, governments must endeavor to include all groups when educating their populations, and the affirmation that there is a need to put more effort into training teachers to educate diverse student populations.
The United States was elected to the drafting committee that produced the final document of conclusions and recommendations for Member States and UNESCO.
The conference provided a valuable opportunity for policymakers and practitioners to meet and exchange ideas, research, and methods of execution, to facilitate implementation of inclusive education policies in their respective countries.
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