Announcement: NECE 2016, a conference in the Danubian region tackles the important issues of migrations, civic education and the future of Europe

NECE 2016 – Networking European Citizenship Education – Conference
“Crossing Borders. Migration and Citizenship Education in Europe”
10-12 November 2016, Zagreb, Croatia (Lisinski Concert Hall)

Against the background of a global refugee crisis deeply affecting the state of the European Union and its neighbours, NECE 2016 will aim at two areas: Firstly, we will look at the ongoing European response to the issue of migration including the divisions within and between European societies. Secondly the conference will discuss how citizenship education should react to the polarised debate and the controversies about migration, diversity and identity which have been triggered by the new wave of migration since summer 2015. There is a clear danger that the “migrants’ revolution” will radically change European politics and the world view of many on the continent towards exclusion and closure. The refugee crisis seems to re-open the gap between the East and the West in Europe and between those who see cosmopolitan values as a threat and those who are struggling to defend these as the core of a new European identity (Ivan Krastev).

In order to successfully intervene in this polarised conversation NECE 2016 will address three questions of fundamental relevance for citizenship educators:
How can societies learn to live with uncertainties in an age of hybrid identities caused by migration and a “world without borders”?
What kind of competencies, tools and/or projects do we need to deal with fears about migration and the future of the “West”?
And against the background of the current crises: What is our vision of Europe, its values and its future?
Your participation in debating these complex issues is needed and most welcome. A rich variety of workshops and open spaces will enable participants to actively shape the conference. A call for projects to be presented in a project market will be launched by early June.

Amongst others, keynoters such as renowned historian and political writer Timothy Garton Ash and Vice-President of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans are invited to present their views. Follow us on Twitter and receive the latest news or visit www.nece.eu.

NECE 2016 is organised by the Federal Agency of Civic Education in Germany, the Federal Ministry of Education and Women’s Affairs in Austria and Pro Demos – House of democracy and the rule of law in cooperation with the CEO – Center for Civic Education in Warsaw, the Centrum Občanského Vzdělávání – Civic Education Centre, DARE – Democracy and Human Rights Education in Europe and the University of Ljubljana – Faculty of Social Sciences. The NECE 2016 conference is supported by the Robert Bosch Stiftung and the ERSTE Foundation.

We would be pleased to welcome you in Zagreb. You may find the draft programme and a list of hotels near the venue at www.nece.eu.

Please note that we cannot cover your travel and accommodation costs.
The online registration will be opened by mid June.