Losing the Head, Finding the Heart
Edmund Rice International holds a symposium on how education can serve the goals of social justice and human rights
The symposium in Geneva, entitled “Losing the Head, Finding the Heart”, was attended by Edmund Rice inspired educators from Europe, North America, India, Papua New Guinea, and Australia who are involved in tertiary education.
The Knox Centre, Geneva, setting for the first ERI Symposium
Over five days, the participants listened to presentations by guest speakers, engaged in open-forum conversations, and made action plans to better promote the Edmund Rice vision of education as a catalyst of social justice and human rights.
“The Edmund Rice philosophy is that education is the basic, inalienable right of every human being”, explained Br Julian MacDonald, Chancellor of Australian Catholic University. “This philosophy is based on incarnational theology, the belief that every person is created in the image of God. Edmund Rice based his educational enterprise on the belief that God was truly present in these children.”
Several of the participating universities have already instituted human-rights based programs. While the students of Australian Catholic University do volunteer work with the Karen refugees on the Thai border, in Iona College in New York, students partake in workshops on contemporary human rights issues such as migration and human-trafficking.
At Divine World University in Papua New Guinea, teaching students take a volunteer course in special needs education alongside their diploma. Br Larry Miranda, President of St. Edmund’s College in India believed that this kind of social involvement is crucial. “Students find their heart when they are involved with people in grassroots work”, he said. “We can teach them within the walls of our institution, but to have a real effect on them, to make them changers of society, they have to be involved in hands-on work. That’s how they can move from head to heart.”
But before focusing on the move from head to heart, first, the head must be catered to. Millions of young people still do not have access to any education. “In the developing as well as developed world a lot of ground has to be made up in terms of children’s rights, especially education” commented Br Kevin Mullan, Leader of the Christian Brothers European Province.
Agneta Ucko, Director, Arrigatou Foundation, Geneva, addresses the Symposium
“Educational institutions often cannot give all deserving students financial aid”, added Br Jim Liguori, President of Iona College. “At most institutions, financial aid is provided on the basis of merit. For education to be more inclusive, it must be need-based.”
In India, Br. Larry faces additional challenges. “St. Edmunds College is now 90 years old”, he said. “We have often tried to encourage students to partake in social work through extra-curricular programs. But we end up having to compromise on these programs because of the Indian academic system, where all the focus is on course-work, and extra-curricular activities are less important. Our challenge then is how to educate our students so that they are motivated to bring about change in society?”
At the symposium, the participants attempted to strategically find solutions for the various challenges facing their home institutions. Their discussions resulted in concrete action plans to encourage human rights education, establish exchange programs between the universities, and to mobilise support for the work of ERI.
Panelists left to right: Jude Butcher cfc, Australian Catholic University, Sydney, Phil Glendennig, Director, Edmund Rice Centre, Sydney, David Freeman, Director, Edmund Rice Centre, Fremantle, Peter Harney cfc, Christian Brothers Oceania Leadership Team
The Future: Advocacy with the Grassroots
The symposium participants also split up into three working groups, for Australasia, Europe and North America. The working group members will be in charge of implementing the action plans in their assigned regions. They will support the efforts of their Congregations, channel information to them, and respond to their needs through Edmund Rice International. “I think these plans give us a position to do something more concrete on the national level for the pursuit of justice”, said Alfred Tivinarlik of Divine World University, in Papua New Guinea. “To have conversations here, at this level, gives us new confidence and motivation.”
Br. Donal Leader who, organized the conference, could not have be more pleased with its outcome. “The symposium was a success beyond my wildest dreams”, he remarked happily. “More than a gathering of minds, it was also a gathering of like-minded people who shared a passion for the working mind. It was tough to organise, seeing as we just arrived in Geneva in October, but eventually, it was a tremendous achievement for Edmund Rice International.”
Now that the organisation is on the international map, they have some goals to accomplish. “With the advent of Edmund Rice International, we expect greater coordination of our efforts in various regions and continents”, predicted Kevin Mullan. “Being in Geneva, with the proximity to the UN is an added advantage, in terms of tapping into the organisations here, including Franciscans International. The focal point for us is to provide information and point people in the right direction so they can link in with other Edmund Rice organisations to get the right advice and wisdom for their local situation.”
Br. Mullan visualises ERI as taking on an advocacy role in the near future. Ultimately though, he believes that the most important thing is to effectuate change at the grassroots level. “We have a very extensive network across the world”, he said. “I think that if awareness were raised on human rights issues, that would percolate right down into the outlets, into schools, colleges, projects, and to the people, so that everyone could one day have access to the right to education.”
It may be an ambitious goal for Edmund Rice International, but perhaps not unattainable. As Lintje Siehoyono Sie one of the presenters at the symposium explained “If you do things with faith and sincerity, you will achieve what you want.”
(adapted from an article written by Neha Sud, an intern with Franciscans international, Geneva and an observer at the recent Edmund Rice International Symposium)