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EI participated at the Council of Europe's Forum on Higher Education and Democratic Culture 22- 23 June, Strasbourg, France . Participants comprised higher education leaders, student representatives and public policy makers from Europe, North America and other regions of the world.

During its (26-30) June sitting, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a Recommendation on Academic Freedom and University Autonomy.

MOSCOW -- In a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin held at the Kremlin on 6 July, EI General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen urged leaders of the G8 nations not to abdicate their responsibility to invest in quality public education.

There are several new appointments at EI since May this year.

The latest issue of EI's newsletter on GATS has just be published. In this issue, we talk about the failure of the informal WTO ministerial meeting to break the current deadlock, EI meetings with WTO delegations in Geneva, new GATS rules on domestic regulation and EI's reservations about these rules.

Time is running out on WTO trade talks after ministers gathering in Geneva at the end of June failed to reach a crucial agreement on tariff and subsidy reductions for agricultural and industrial goods.

In a letter sent to the government of Mexico on 29 June, EI condemns the use of any form of violence against striking teachers. The message is sent in the light of the police's forceful eviction of strikers on 14 June.

EI affiliate the Cambodian Independent Teachers’ Association (CITA), and the Free Trade Union of Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia (FTUWKC) is postponing the strike due to be held today, until further notice.

EI General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen expressed satisfaction over the decision of the UN Human Rights Council to adopt the Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. “The Declaration will strengthen the international human rights system and will promote mutual respect between indigenous peoples and states”, he said.

In response to EI's letter dated 19 June, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), sent a formal statement by their President Joseph Blatter condemning the trafficking of women and young girls into forced prostitution during the World Cup.

EI put the case for a new approach to public higher education and research at a high-profile meeting of Education Ministers from 35 countries, convened by the OECD in Athens, Greece, this week (27-28 June).

EI issued a letter dated 27 June to the State Minister of Guinea, Fodé Bangoura, condemning the death threat made to SLECG General Secretary, Louis Mbemba Soumah, nor the minister's vow on 12 June to "crush trade unionists".

EI and its member organisations around the world strongly support Nikkyoso, the Japan Teachers' Union, in its call for the withdrawal of a proposal by the present government to amend the "Fundamental Law of Education" (FLE).

Members of EI affiliate the Cambodian Independent Teachers’ Association (CITA) will join the Free Trade Union of Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia (FTUWKC) in a nationwide strike on Monday 3rd July.

EI is very concerned with reported security forces repression of the social movement led by teachers in Oaxaca. EI is encouraging the Mexican authorities to dialogue, not to repress.

Education International has written to the Polish minister of national education, Roman Giertych, following the dismissal of Miroslaw Sielatycki, Director of the National In-Service Teacher Training Center (CODN).

In a letter addressed to the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, on 19 June, EI expressed its concern about the trafficking of women and girls into Germany who are being exploited in the sex industry for the World Cup season.

EI affiliate the Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations (KFTA) have elected Mr. CHO Heung-Soon, their current Chief Director of Organisation Division, as new Secretary General following the end of term in office of former secretary general, Mr. Son In-Sik.