How to overcome the main barriers preventing access to education? How to ensure that all students have equitable access to quality education and meaningful learning? How to develop more inclusive education systems and schools? These and other important issues will be discussed at the International Conference on Education (ICE), organized by UNESCO’s International Bureau of Education (IBE) from 25 to 28 November in Geneva (Switzerland). The Conference, “Inclusive Education: the Way of the Future”, will examine ways for schools to become more open to diversity and effectively promote successful learning. It aims to identify the main challenges, share experiences regarding education for inclusion, and examine the role of governments in implementing policies promoting inclusion. The event will bring together some 1,500 participants, among them about 100 Ministers and Vice-ministers as well as education experts, representatives of United Nations agencies and NGOs. The opening plenary session, chaired by UNESCO’s Director-General, Mr. Koïchiro Matsuura, will feature an introductory debate. The 2009 Education for All Global Monitoring Report, “Overcoming inequality: Why governance matters” will also be launched during the Conference. Eight years after the World Education Forum in Dakar (Senegal), it assesses the progress towards achieving Education for All goals. In the run up to the Conference 85 National Reports on the Development of Education in different countries have been gathered. Ministers of Education from over 135 countries worldwide have also sent messages related to the theme of the Conference. The ICE is a major international forum for education policy dialogue among Ministers of Education and other stakeholders (researchers, practitioners, representatives of intergovernmental organizations and civil society). It is organized by the IBE, the UNESCO Institute specializing in assisting Member States to achieve quality Education for All through innovative curricula and curriculum development processes.
