The world is changing quickly and impressively. The abilities and skills of the people have to match this development in order not to run the risk of being left behind. “Inclusive, equitable and high-quality education as well as opportunities for lifelong learning” is therefore the fourth among the 17 goals of the UN 2030 Agenda. Education also plays a central role when it comes to achieving the other sustainability goals. Lifelong learning should not only improve people’s employability, but also fundamentally strengthen people as self-determined citizens and thereby consolidate democracy and solidarity. The question of what contribution adult education can make was the focus on Friday at this year’s day of further education, which the State Office for Further Education organized in the family home in Lichtenstern am Ritten. The focus was also on the question of whether and how the Corona crisis had an impact on democracy, the climate crisis and violence against women.
Challenges from the Covid-19 pandemic
“Anyone who had said before the pandemic what interference would take place in our basic rights would have ended up in psychiatry,” said political scientist and speaker at the advanced training day Michael Wehner from the state center for political education in Baden-Württemberg.
The state of emergency has become the rule. A large part of the population adhered to the restrictions. And that is what a democracy is all about: the recognition of rules and obligations and the acceptance of majority decisions. “But diversity of opinion and pluralism of values, or democracy for short, are precisely such that they cannot last long with orders and ordinances, rules of behavior. Fighting the pandemic, like improving democracy, is the task of all of us, ”stressed Wehner. “Democracy lives from the co-creation and participation of the people who live in it. A spectator democracy in which people lose themselves in their private consumption maximization is doomed to failure. “
Put the common in the foreground
According to Wehner, democracy in particular needs the interested, even more educated, enlightened, vigilant and knowledgeable citizen like no other form of government. And the more participation is required, the more political education is needed. Education is especially important in a society in which the consuming ego is placed in the center, in which too many emphasized their group membership first and no longer what unites them. In competing opinions, this often leads to the dialogue being broken off.
Vocational training is just as much a part of this as strengthening the ability to argue and make judgments, aesthetic and musical education as well as general education including a solid political education. “A store of common knowledge is the basis of social understanding and thus our democracy,” explained Wehner.
Further training – further development
In three exchange rounds, following the presentation, the participants discussed how the situation in the areas of democracy, the climate crisis and violence against women has changed as a result of the pandemic and how further training can take concrete measures in these areas.
The day was concluded with a look to the future. As Michael Wehner emphasized: “Let’s be courageous and confident. Let’s look ahead. Everything wasn’t better in the past. Let’s live community, solidarity and togetherness. And enjoy the joy and fun of encounters that seemed so natural. “
Day of Continuing Education since 1972
The day of further education has been celebrated in South Tyrol since 1972. The focus is on adult education. The organizing State Office for Further Education wants to provide impetus for adult education in South Tyrol. Every year, the day of further education offers the numerous full-time and voluntary in adult educators the opportunity to assess their position, to exchange ideas, but also to provide a platform to jointly think about, discuss and develop challenges, goals and opportunities in adult education.
–
