Democracy and Human Rights Education in Europe Network

Future Worlds Center is member of the Democracy and Human Rights Education in Europe Network (DARE) since 2009. It is one of the 48 member organisations from 26 countries in Europe. The Democracy and Human Rights Education in Europe Network was officially launched on 28 June 2003 in Antwerp as a non profit organization and has its legal seat in Belgium.

Goals

DARE is a Europe-wide network of NGOs and other organisations devoted to raise the profile of Education for Democratic Citizenship (EDC) and Human Rights Education (HRE), promote transcultural and transnational cooperation, and enhance the quality of education within these fields.

DARE aims at achieving recognition, visibility and adequate resources for EDC and HRE as a core obligation for the formal and non-formal education systems throughout Europe.

DARE has been established to address three shortcomings in the present arrangements for NGOs in Europe carrying out invaluable work in EDC and HRE:

• The prevalence of NGOs which tend to work without adequate resources and in isolation, and are therefore inhibited in their access to information, to potential European partners, and to effective lobbying.
• The tendency to treat separately the distinct but nonetheless closely interrelated fields of HRE and EDC.
• The distance between research and practice, academia and activists, political scientists and educators in EDC/HRE.

Activities

• exchange of information, contents, methods and staff;
• common programmes for education and qualification of staff, board members and volunteers in member organisations;
• common databases and systems;
• public relations and lobbying at European level;
• common educational projects, standards and good practice;
• a common resource on funding opportunities (thus minimising the need for duplication of research);
• a common standard for project delivery.

Overall

Based on the specific objectives of the Lifelong Learning Programme outlined in the DECISION No 1720/2006/EC and the European Framework for Key Competences for Lifelong Learning, the EU Project “DARE - Democracy and Human Rights Education in Adult Learning” strives to

• reinforce the contribution of lifelong learning to social cohesion, active citizenship, intercultural dialogue, gender equality and personal fulfilment;
• reinforce the role of lifelong learning in creating a sense of European citizenship based on understanding and respect for human rights and democracy, and *encouraging tolerance and respect for other peoples and cultures;
• argue for the understanding that social and civic skills are fundamental competences for lifelong and life wide learning.

http://www.dare-network.eu