We did it!
From 4 to 7 May AIEJI’s 17th World Congress was held in Copenhagen. It was four hectic, exciting, moving, touching, and fun days with lots of professional impressions and building of social relations - And not least, we were together sharing this great event.
On the last day of the congress, I was asked about my ‘Magic Moment’ during the congress. That was a difficult question to answer. I chose the moment where I during the Congress Party met one of the Danish participants walking together arm in arm with a colleague from Uruguay – and they stopped to tell me how fantastic this congress had been, and how they had spent hours sharing professional experiences and discussed social education. They had participated in the same workshops and they had in so many ways enjoyed themselves and learned so many new things. For me they were a very real example of what this congress was meant to be about, namely sharing professional experiences and knowledge, as well as experiencing that our profession goes across international boundaries and across continents, and work areas. And it provided the possibility for creating new friends and new professional networks.
But, I could have mentioned hundreds of other moments which were magic. I could have mentioned, the opening of the congress where we showed the 44 flag from each of the participating nations, and everybody stood up and applauded. I could have mentioned, the moment where Martin Brokenleg captured the 600 people in the audience in excitement, when he talked about his work in Canada. Or when the Norwegian researcher Karl Elling Ellingsen talked about self-determination for persons with physical and psychological disabilities. Or when the newly adopted Copenhagen Declaration was read during the closing ceremony. Or the many workshops – not to mention the breaks during which DGI-byen was filled with congress participants talking and discussing in numerous languages.
One experience, I have had after the congress, is worth mentioning especially, and that is a meeting I had with a participant, who is a Social Educator from Nepal. She is now busy forming an AIEJI network in Asia. This is the way forward - to create new networks, which can make AIEJI stronger. Isn’t it a great idea and a beautiful way to do it?
I have had much positive feedback from congress participants from all over the world. Feedback on how they have learned professionally, how the congress has been an eye opener, and how they have been challenged on a professional level when participating in the many workshops dealing with social education subjects from all over the world. It has made a deep impression on me because this was the very purpose of the congress. Social Education is often about making a difference. And this is exactly what we did at the AIEJI congress. ‘A dream you dream you dream alone is just a dream. A dream you dream together is reality’ as John Lennon says.
Thank you for a great congress – the work continues – and let me quote former State Minister, Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, who told us: ‘You have the finest job in the world!’
Yes we have!
Remember that you can read more about the congress and see the video from the congress at this website.
Best wishes,
Benny Andersen
President, AIEJI