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NEWS FROM OMEPDisastrous Faminine in Sahel Region of Africa

Since our last publication the world has been visually con­fronted on TV and horrified by the dreadful disaster offamine in the Sahel region of Africa, especially in Ethiopia,the Sudan and Chad, with particular concern on the plightof children.

The response from individuals and voluntary groups hasfar outstripped that of official aid from governments and1am sure that all OMEP member countries have contributedto the massive effort to save the lives of starving childrenand their parents.

OMEP exists to raise the level of awareness of theimportance of education in the early years but withoutadequate food life itself is in peril. Aid must be providedat the time of crisis and emergency but the long-term needsof these countries can only be met by attention to farmingand husbandry essentially dependent on WATER. Howmuch thought is being given to the UN Decade for WATER,1980-1990 in the work of OMEP National Committees?Should we not include knowledge of such basic necessitiesof life in our programmes and collaborate with the workof UNICEF and UNESCO at least by obtaining theirliterature and disseminating information about theiractivities among our membership.

A New Convention on the Rights of the Child

This new Convention, a development from the 1959Declara­tion of the Rights of the Child, is in the process, the long,long process, of being constructed by a Working Party ofthe Human Rights Commission which is meeting each yearbefore the General Session of the Commission. How manyOMEP National Committees have a copy of the draftConvention and have examined and commented on currentproposals? For example, what is OMEP doing about theproposal to omit reference to the child's right to play whichwas an important part of the 1985 Declaration? The newConvention is likely to be a lengthy and complex documentand to prove difficult to implement.

Criticism of UNESCO

What is the attitude of OMEP National Committees to thecurrent criticism of UNESCO and the withdrawal of USAand proposed withdrawal of UK - a founder member? Howmuch do we know about the underlying dissastisfaction withUNESCO, its administration and functioning? How muchdo we know about the positive achievements of UNESCO,apart from the fact that it recognises OMEP and pays it anannual subvention for travel, publications and administra­tion. What lies behind decisions to withdraw, or to make

INT, J. OF EARLY CHILDHOOD, /985, /7, /

the threat of withdrawal? What reforms have been madeand remain to be made and how far will they affect OMEP?

CHILESince leaving Chile after the World Council Meetings andSeminar last year a number of members have kept in touchwith different projects, for example the work of CEANIM.Our sympathy and concern was expressed directly by theWorld President after we received news of the disastrousearthquake and a number of Committees have sent contribu­tions. Damage has been sustained to many homes andschools but as far as we know our OMEP friends ared safe.Other dangers threaten in terms of expression of protest andthe reactions suffered particularly in the poorest shack townswhere many suffer hardship from poverty and oppression.The short time we spent with friends working in these areaspermits us to share in some small measure the fears andanxieties of many of these communities in the present andfor the future.

Seminario - Coloquio Internacional23/24 January 1984LISBON

The subject of this Seminar was the all embracing one of'Enfance et Culture'. The introductory talk by the Ministerof Education was inspiring in its creative, poetic and scien­tific approach - stressing the importance of the humanpotential for creativity.

Papers were given on: the importance of second languageteaching; the meaning of cultural identity; the value of booksand literature; the Van Leer projects and parent partner­ships; the artistic expression of the young child, and inaddition contributions from representatives of MemberCountries who spoke about their particular situations anddevelopments. All of these papers aroused much interestamong overseas visitors and the many Portuguese teachersattending the Seminar.

In summing up the proceedings the World President,Madeleine Goutard, was given a difficult task which sheaccomplished with great skill emphasizing the contributionof other cultures to our understanding and development ofhuman values.

Thanks were expressed to the National Committee ofPortugal for their kindness in hosting the meetings of theExecutive Committee of the World Council and for arrang­ing the Seminar on such an important subject following onthe discussions at the World Assembly in Geneva in 1983.

A full report of the Seminar is available from the Chair­man of the National Committee of Portugal:

Sra Maria Ramos Ponces de CarvalhoAssociacao de Jardims - Escolas Joao de Deus,Av . Pedro Alvarez Cabral, 69Lisbon, Portugal.

INT. J. OF EARLY CHILDHOOD, 1985, 17, 1

North European Regional Meeting and Seminar

Sodertalje - SWEDEN

16-18 April, 1984

These meetings were hosted by the Swedish NationalCommittee and chaired by the new Vice-President for NorthEurope, Dr. Anne McKenna of Ireland. The Seminar sub­ject was the 'Linguistic and Cultural Background ofImmigrant Children'. Belgium, Finland, France, a.F.R.,UK, Norway, Poland and Yugoslavia were represented andthe World President attended. Dr McKenna in her openingaddress spoke of the possibility of cultural confusion or lossof identity for migrant families and the sad consequencesof personal and social upheaval for the individuals andfamilies concerned.

Each delegate spoke of the particular situation prevail­ing in their country and Sweden described changes in Swedenin the last ten years emphasizing the efforts to change theattitudes of Swedish children to the migrant children in theirmidst. A document headed 'Self-Preparation against EthnicPrejudice and Bullying' was made available. Visits to pre­school groups were arranged where participants could seemany of the concepts and policies they had been hearingabout put into practice.

The strong desire of the Swedish committee 'to be honestand open about their successesand failures and to share their

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knowledge and experience' was noted by Dr McKenna inher expressions of appreciation and thanks to the SwedishCommittee. The need for further Regional Meetings wasemphasized.

The above material has been taken from the report whichis available from Dr Anne McKenna, Dept. of Psychology,Univ. College, Dublin 4, Ireland.

Practical EffortsReports of practical efforts to collaborate with specificprojects in different parts of the world are being receivedand are of importance to the developing work of OMEP:from USA of a project in Lima, Peru, also of a projectinvolving collaboration with the Island of Vanuata in theSouth Pacific by South Australia.

We would value hearing further of these and otherprojects of a collaborative nature.

Thanks and appreciation to all those who have sentmaterial for inclusion in this section of the Journal. 'Newsfrom OMEP' is dependent on contributions from membersand we are very glad when they arrive in good time, i.e, byApril and September for issues one and two each year.

Margaret Roberts