Contributions from the Contributions from the Popular Education in Popular Education in Latin America to the Latin America to the

education and formation for education and formation for lifelong learning in times of lifelong learning in times of

changechangePedro PontualPedro Pontual

This presentation is a This presentation is a contribution from the practices contribution from the practices of popular education in Latin of popular education in Latin America today to the reflection America today to the reflection about tendencies and about tendencies and perspectives of the education perspectives of the education and formation over life in and formation over life in scenarios of strong and scenarios of strong and complex changes all over the complex changes all over the world.world.

From this point of view, we From this point of view, we think it´s important to strength think it´s important to strength the following points in an the following points in an agenda of actions:agenda of actions:

ACTIVE CITZENSHIP AND SOCIAL EQUALITY

Building an active and transforming citizenship which has social equality (understood as the right to equal opportunities to resources for the integral and sustainable development) as its central axis.

The equality implies equity and also the redistributive justice based on the collective solidarity.

ACTIVE CITZENSHIP AND SOCIAL EQUALITY

The people are incorporated as active subjects (in their individual and social dimensions) in the construction of social policies oriented by many principles among which we highlight the universality, the diversity and the solidarity.

In deep unequal and non-equitative societies in which we live this means to strength the necessary inclusive dimension in educational practices, formal or informal.

THE SOCIAL MOVEMENTSTHE SOCIAL MOVEMENTS

Empowering for incidence in educational policies:Empowering for incidence in educational policies:

The social movements are strategic collective actors for The social movements are strategic collective actors for the distinct incidence practices in educational policies in the distinct incidence practices in educational policies in both the dimension of equitative access and the dimension both the dimension of equitative access and the dimension of quality and democratic management.of quality and democratic management.

For that, it´s necessary the expansion of formation For that, it´s necessary the expansion of formation programs for the several collective actors based in a programs for the several collective actors based in a participative and dialogical conception.participative and dialogical conception.

DECENTE WORK

Facing the complexity of the decent work issue in the 21st century and what kind of education and formation are necessary as responses to the new challenges.

The educational experiences from the solidarity economy and family agriculture are some of the alternatives that have been developed in Latin America.

INTERCULTURALITY

These identities were systematically excluded and discriminated by the dominating colonialism and authoritarism in the history of our continent.

Developing an intercultural pedagogy that gains growing importance in our context since the democratic processes made the emergence of a diversity of identities that constitute our societies possible.

INTERCULTURALITYThe recent debates in the constitutional processes in Bolivia and Ecuador about the rights of the original peoples or the debate in Brazil about the afro-Brazilians quotas for joining college challenges us about the necessity of a pedagogy of interculturality that makes possible a transforming sense to these actions.

Also the intensity and complexity of the migration situations point to the same direction – of guaranteeing educational rights to these peoples from the perspective of the interculturality.

ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENTENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Emphasizing the expansion of educational programs about Emphasizing the expansion of educational programs about the theme of the environment and sustainable development. the theme of the environment and sustainable development. The global climatic changes, the crisis of food and energy The global climatic changes, the crisis of food and energy production are some of the facts that challenge us in the production are some of the facts that challenge us in the present moment.present moment.

Also the theme of a revision of our patterns of individual Also the theme of a revision of our patterns of individual and collective consumption demand strong and fast and collective consumption demand strong and fast initiatives from the popular education in order to cause real initiatives from the popular education in order to cause real changes in the perception and acts around these changes in the perception and acts around these challenges by the social movements and citizens in daily challenges by the social movements and citizens in daily life.life.

THE NEW TECHNOLOGIES

Make advances in the subject of communication and new technologies from the perspective of their strategic dimension for democratization of our societies and for the social inclusion.

THE NEW TECHNOLOGIES

The digital inclusion programs, the production of educational materials using multimedia resources, the alternative communication networks (educational and/or communitarian radios and TVs), the distance learning programs and the virtual learning communities are practices that should challenge us with their methodological, pedagogical and epistemological advances to make their use as human emancipation instruments and liberation action possible.

Finalizing, this year we celebrate the 60 years of Finalizing, this year we celebrate the 60 years of the Universal Human Rights Declaration, and it´s the Universal Human Rights Declaration, and it´s important to reaffirm education and formation for important to reaffirm education and formation for lifelong learning as part of the human lifelong learning as part of the human economical, social, cultural and environmental economical, social, cultural and environmental rights that should be articulated with practices of rights that should be articulated with practices of Peace Culture that demand educational actions Peace Culture that demand educational actions founded on the principles of human coexistence founded on the principles of human coexistence based on plurality with wide respect to the based on plurality with wide respect to the differences and following permanently the differences and following permanently the peaceful and democratic resolution of conflicts.peaceful and democratic resolution of conflicts.