Development Education in LatviaOVERVIEW 2007

Janis Kirpitis, “GLEN Latvia”BRNO, CZ, 19/02/2008

Official understanding of DEin Latvia

• In 2007 Latvian Foreign Ministry's grant project tender “Communication Activities for Informing the Public on Development Co-operation and Development Education”.

The purpose of the tender was to foster the generation of communications projects whichbuild an understanding of the significance and role of development co-operation in the development of Latvia among a wider public.

Results of MFAs tenderPriority No1 "Communication activities on development co-operation ":

1. The public relations agency "PR Stils“: "Raising awareness and fostering positive attitude of the interested parties involved in design and implementation of development co-operation policy".

The project proposes to inform and educate its target audiences – politicians and public administration officials on the questions of development co-operation. The project aims at the facilitation and implementation of political decision-making, the generation of understanding among responsible authorities and officials about the significance of the development co-operation and its impact upon well-being and security in Latvia, in the EU and in the world.

2. The association "The Latvian Platform for Development Co-operation" (LAPAS): "Promotion of Development Co-operation in Latvia".

The applicants believe that the state requires actual experience of its residents in development co-operation - a definite scope of skills, knowledge and attitudes, as well as opportunities for institutions and individuals to participate in and exert influence on the development co-operation policy of the state. To this end, the project offers activities for three target groups: NGOs, politicians and public officials, as well as opinion promoters in development co-operation;

3. The association "European Movement – Latvia: "Intermarium 2007".

The project will raise awareness among the wider public in Latvia on the development co-operation issues in our country and in the EU's eastern neighbours by highlighting Latvia's contribution to the creation of a free and united Europe.

Results of MFAs tenderPiority No2 "Development education ":

1. Vidzeme University College: "Development Co-operation Studies as a Subject at the Vidzeme University College".

The project will provide students with an in-depth knowledge and understanding on development co-operation in Latvia and in the world. The project will facilitate specialisation in development studies as part of a new international relations programme. Within the project, lecture courses on development co-operation will be designed and tested, guest lectures will be organised, holdings of academic literature will be supplemented as well as student research papers prepared about the countries, with which Latvia is cooperating in the transfer of its experience in reform processes.

2. The association "GLEN Latvia": "Shaping Development Co-operation in the World and in Europe: a Latvian Perspective".

The project will facilitate involvement in development co-operation studies at Latvian universities located outside Riga. The project aims to raise an awareness of development co-operation as it has been actualised by Latvia as well as in the context of development co-operation in Europe and throughout the world. The project will stimulate university teachers' commitment to the subject of development studies and to student interest in development issues, as well as provide information about processes in Europe and in the world, and the development co-operation policy as implemented by Latvia. The community will be introduced to opportunities for development studies in universities abroad.

2007 Review“World Days” - 3 years

long project organized by Latvian NGDO Platform and KEPA (Finland)

Topic – Development co-operation

Objective – To increase public awareness about development issues; to increase LV NGO capacity

2007 Review• Eurizons – opening

event in Riga, Latvia• Main topics - global

interdependencies & development issues as well as the MDGs

• Method – arts, music, street actions, hitchiking through Europe, big events in 8 European cities

2007 Review• Project “Latvia Helps!”• Topic – Latvia’s

Development Co-operation

• Series of short documentaries about Latvia’s DC projects in Georgia and Moldova were shown on National TV channel and published online

• Project financed by MFA

2007 Review

• Start of Latvian Development Education Strategy development process

• Process initiated by GLEN in Latvia• Now National Platform, MFA, NGOs

involved

Misconception of DE in Latvia• There is a clear misunderstanding in Latvia

about ‘What is DE’• Many perceive and do DE as informing about

Latvia’s Development Co-operation policy trying to persuade people that DC is necessary and that Latvia’s Government has been efficient

• MFA and other stakeholders don’t realize and don’t admit that it isn’t DE what they do

• In many cases it isn’t even awareness raising about Global Development issues