 Confrence
Background |
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The IFWEA General Conferences, bringing together representatives from the member organisations, have been held triennially in different countries. They provide an opportunity for consideration of matters of current concern and interest to the delegates, usually with specialist speakers on specific topics. Accounts of the work of member organisations are submitted and representatives of international organisations contribute addresses concerning their work in relation to adult and workers' education. A discussion of priorities for future activities of the Federation is also an important part of the work of the conferences. General Conferences of IFWEA have passed resolutions concerned with furthering educational opportunities of workers, for example IFWEA was one of the first international organisations to press for Paid Educational Leave - a resolution passed by the Sixth General Conference as long ago as 1962 stated that “it must be firmly established that employees must be released to take part in courses of adult education".
For its organisational development two major decisions have been
taken in the more recent past. In 1992 at its World Conference in
Port Elgin, Canada, there was common agreement that IFWEA would
improve its effectiveness if it developed a regional structure. Of
itself this was a decision that reflected its development into a
genuinely world organisation. The first of the regional bodies was
soon established for Europe, to be followed within three years by
regional operations in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin
America. This structure has ensured that the needs and aspirations
of all its member organisations are effectively articulated at both
Global and Regional levels. In 2003 the World Conference at Albufeira, Portugal addressed successfully a
problem that had beset IFWEA ever since its foundation. Historically, the
organisation had been dependent on one of its member organisations for the
provision of its Secretariat. At various times financial and human support had
been generously made available to allow the Secretariat to function from London,
Vienna, Tel Aviv and Oslo. It was an unfulfilled dream to have a free-standing
and financially viable Secretariat. The 2003 decision has reaffirmed the
legitimate view that IFWEA is the single independent forum operating at global
level whose exclusive interest is workers’ education. |
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