GA and Conference in Brussels December 2013
I N V I T A T I O N
to the General Assembly and International Conference
Challenges and Opportunities
for organised parents in the future of Europe
December 6th and 7th, 2013 in Brussels/BELGIUM
Dear ladies and gentlemen, partners in European education, friends and members!
It is a pleasure to formally invite you to the forthcoming GA and conference of EPA in the heart of Europe, Brussels.
The whole of Europe and EPA itself are facing major challenges these days. The decision makers of the EU are in the final stages of making their creating a budget to carry out the EU2020 strategy. Understanding the importance of education, it became one of the five major areas of EU2020. The two main targets in education are reducing early school leaving rates to below 10% and increasing the ratio of young people finishing tertiary education to 40%. Another major strategy area is to reach a dramatic decrease in the number of people living in poverty or social exclusion. The role of parents and the importance of involving all parents in education cannot be questioned in reaching these goals.
It has been a challenge for parental associations all over Europe to involve more parents in their day-to-day activities, especially those less advantaged to offer them peer learning activities for a greater success of their children in life.
In the past years EPA became a well-established partner in policy discussions on EU-level. A strong relationship has been built with EU-institutions as well as other European NGOs.
The United Nations are celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the International Year of the Family and on this occasion they have published a declaration asking UN member states to recognise and support families. As a follow-up to the European Year of Citizens, in line with the anniversary, there is a proposal for the EU to declare 2014 the European Year of Family and Work Reconciliation. Regardless the success of this initiative 2014 should be a year when the whole of Europe focuses on families and parents in one way or another.
The beginning of the new policy period of the EU, the upcoming European Parliamentary elections and the emphasis on families next year provides EPA a perfect opportunity to meet European partners as well as to talk about the main internal challenges ahead. Thus the board of EPA decided to hold the next GA and conference in Brussels, where our members cannot only meet each other but also our partners. The programme, linked to the Life-Long Learning Week, is still being finalised but it is designed so that our members will have time and opportunity to position themselves for the challenges ahead.
We are looking forward to meet you in Brussels and hope to proceed on our personal way in Lifelong Learning.
Eszter Salamon EPA-President
Programme
The conference is held in English. No simultaneous translation will be organised.
Friday, December 6th, 2013
12:00 Registration
13:00 Opening and welcome words
Mrs. Edit Herczog MEP PES
Dr. Renate Heinisch, EESC
13:45 Key note presentation
Parenting Support in Europe – Daniel Molinuevo, Eurofund
- Round table 1 – European Platforms and Initiatives for EU2020
Audrey Frith, EUCIS-LLL – the European Life-Long Learning Platform
Stijn Hoorens, EPIC, the European Platform for Investing in Children
Ana Gorey, MEET – ECI on a High Quality European Education for All
Kathy Kikis-Papadakis European Policy Network on School Leadership
Sarah Cooke O’Dowd, SIRIUS Network
Daniel Kropf, Learning for Well-Being
15:20 Coffee break
15:50 Round table 2 – European NGO’s for EU2020
Agnes Uhereczky, COFACE
Andrea Witt, Eurochild
Blandine Smilansky, Euroclio
Ida Kreutzman, OBESSU
Marie-france Mailhos, AEDE
Chris Harrison, ESHA
19:00 Dinner – Brasserie Leopold
Saturday, December 7th, 2013
9:30 Opening of the day
Presentation of the Entrepreneurial Skills Pass – Friederike Sözen, WKO
10:00 General Assembly (with one coffee break)
Proposed agenda:
1. Opening and confirmation of quorum
2. Approval of the agenda
3. Acceptance of new members
4. Approval of minutes (GA in Dublin 14th June 2013)
5. Activity report 2013 for acknowledgement
6. Elections
7. Approval of working programme and preliminary budget 2014
8. Miscellaneous
9. Announcement of the next GA
12:00 Presentations for the workshops – Proposed position paper on social networks
Stefano Crico and José-Manuel Prats
– EPA2020 – results and consequences of the internal survey
Benedikte Ask-Skotte and Eszter Salamon
12:30 ALCUIN Ceremony and Sandwich lunch
13:30 Workshop sessions
15:00 Closing of the conference
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
The conference and accommodation are organised at the France Room of Thon Hotel EU
Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 75, B-1040 Brussels
Telephone: +32 (0)2 204 3911
E-mail: eu@thonhotels.be
(http://www.thonhotels.com/hotels/countrys/belgium/brussels/thon-hotel-eu/)
How to get to the hotel
- Metro: Station Maalbeek/Maelbeek is situated just across the hotel.
- Train: Thon Hotel EU is situated 700 metres from Brussels-Schuman and 700 metres from Brussels-Luxemburg/Luxembourg.
- Bus: The airport bus stops at Luxemburg/Luxembourg station.
In all organisational questions please contact
e-mail:office@euparents.euTel. no: +43-664 562 4043
