RESOLUTION ON EDUCATION TO CULTURAL DIVERSITY
The Fourth World Congress of Education International, meeting in Porto Alegre (Brazil)
from 22 to 26 July 2004:
- Affirming that cultural rights are fundamental human rights;
- Noting the existing imbalance in the flow of cultural goods and services between nations at
the global level, and concerned with how the forces of globalisation and trade liberalisation are
posing new threats to the preservation and development of cultures in different ways;
- Confirming the importance of preserving languages as reservoirs of thought, history, and
knowledge and recognising that there is a special need to preserve the cultures and traditional
knowledge of indigenous peoples;
- Stressing that education at all levels has a central role to play in promoting artistic, linguistic and
cultural diversity within and among nations;
- Further stressing that each individual's ability to learn about, access, and participate in his or her
culture is the basis for sustaining and promoting cultural diversity;
- Recognising that by teaching respect for the diversity of human cultures, educators can promote
amongst the peoples of the world - tolerance, dialogue and cooperation which are the best
guarantee of peace;
- Endorsing the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity of November 2001 and the
Council of Europe Declaration on Cultural Diversity of December 2000;
- Recognising the privileged role of teachers all over the world to promote equality, diversity and
non-discrimination between the different cultures that inhabit all our continents;
- Stressing that, for many people, cultural diversity, like society, the economy and the
environment, is a pillar of sustainable development;
The Fourth World Congress:
- Calls on governments to
- Implement the UNESCO Declaration on Cultural Diversity of November 2001 and its Action
Plan;
- Invites EI Member organisations to:
- Encourage governments and education systems to incorporate, where appropriate,
traditional knowledge and teaching skills, and particularly those of indigenous peoples and
minority groups, within their curriculum;
- Promote teacher education and training in a culturally diversified perspective where
appropriate and to foster, where possible, linguistic diversity within all levels of education and
to promote multilingualism so that the linguistic heritage of humanity may be safeguarded;
- Demand that education in cultural diversity with respect for gender, race, traditional
knowledge and religious cultures be incorporated into the training of education employees
and in the curricula of pupils.
- Role of Education International: EI should:
- Carry on the necessary discussions with UNESCO and other relevant bodies with the
goal of implementing policies and programs that assist under developed countries, less
developed countries, and countries in transition to build the educational and communication
infrastructure in which diverse cultural expression can flourish;
- Support the efforts of UNESCO to develop a legally-binding international instrument to
ensure that cultural diversity is preserved in the face of unprecedented challenges posed
by economic globalisation, rapid technological change, and the growing imbalance of
international cultural expression.
- Take all necessary steps in ongoing GATS negotiations, or any other negotiations that might
commence about trade and investment, to ensure that policies aimed at preserving cultural
diversity are not threatened as a consequence of trade rules.
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The Fourth World Congress of Education International
Porto Alegre (Brazil)
22 to 26 July 2004
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EI Declaration on Professional Ethics
 
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Education for Global Progress
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Education - Public Service or Commodity?
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The Right to Teach: The Right to Learn
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Combating Mismanagement and Corruption in Education
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Promoting Quality Education
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Community Involvement in Education
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Information and Communication Technologies
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Enabling Retired Personnel to Live with Dignity
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Recruitment and Retention of Qualified Teachers
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Principals
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A New International Instrument for Higher Education
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HIV/AIDS
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The Role of the UN in the Current International Context
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Situation In Palestine and Israel
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Sudan
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Colombia
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Education for a Peaceful Environment in Schools
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Education for Cultural Diversity
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Education for Peace
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Death Penalty
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Nepal
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Illegal attack on EGITIM-SEN Turkey
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Trade Union Freedom in Iraq
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Condemnation of the Government of Djibouti
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Gender and HIV/Aids
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Brain Drain
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Education for Sustainable Development
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Vocational Education
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Resolution On EI Resolutions
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Collective Bargaining
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