Conectando Mundos

Inizjamed Conectando Mundos

The main objective of ‘Conectando Mundos’ (Spanish for ‘Connecting Worlds’) is the promotion of Development Education in the context of Citizenship Education within educational institutes in Malta so as to make its main themes and methodologies more fully integrated into the education of students of all ages.

The organising team is made of four non-governmental organisations (NGO’s) from four European and Mediterranean countries, namely Cidac from Portugal, Intermón Oxfam from Spain, Ucodep from Italy and Inizjamed from Malta, and is part-supported by the EuropeAid programme of the EU. 

The principle beneficiaries of this project are students, teachers and other educators, and also other important players in the public sphere (such as members of the political and media communities).

Citizenship (or Civics) Education aims at creating actively participating members in the socio-political spheres of a democratic community and “[…] to encompass the preparation of young people for their roles and responsibilities as citizens […]”[1].  In Response to a globalised world that is constantly changing and affecting both, the local and the global developments of nearly all community sectors, Citizenship Education comprises a wide range of educational disciplines, such as:

·          Democracy and democratic values

·          Political Education

·          Environmental Education 

·          Social Studies

·          Economic Studies

·          History

·          Religious Education

·          Ethic and Moral Values

·          Development Education

All of these educational disciplines are to some degree interconnected and interdependent.  In particular in recent times, educational NGO’s as well as international institutional bodies have detected Development Education as one of the key elements of Citizenship Education.  Development Education combines and entails aspects from all educational disciplines in direct or implemented relation to the present global political, social, economic and environmental scenery.

In 2004, the DE (Development Education) Forum has approved the following definition of Development Education, which has then been endorsed by CONCORD, the European NGO Confederation for Relief and Development, during the General Assembly of November 2004:

Activities proposed can be grouped into four inter-related areas. We aim to:

Conectando Mundos believes that the emphasis on Development Education within the educational structures and institutions is an important means for promoting the holistic education of good citizens who will be entitled to gain interest, to understand and to vigorously participate at socio-political developments.  Hence, they will foster a vital and active democracy in Malta and be enabled to better cope with the challenges of the mounting globalisation of today.  

Through Conectando Mundos, students and teachers alike will have the opportunity to move closer to a wider reality and its global imbalances and injustices and, importantly, acquire more skills to address local issues in a regional and international framework.