This debate took place thanks to the cooperation of the Chilean Observatory for Education Policy at the University of Chile, the Work Group of the Latin American Social Science Council (CLACSO) on States in Latin America: ruptures and restorations, and the Latin American and Caribbean Institute of Studies of the University of Buenos Aires. The debate focused on global transformations in the education sector, on the necessity to think about reforms in teaching, learning, planning and assessments, and on education's mission in the 21th century in Latin America and the Caribbean.

According to Juan González and Rodrigo Sánchez from the Chilean Observatory of Education Policy (OPECH), their goal was to "debate the presence/absence of the ethical and normative meaning of education Education 2030 Global Agenda, and its mission to drive contemporary changes in language, learning and knowledge.

Participants in the meeting, which was organized with UNESCO’s support, expressed the urgency of rethinking education and opening regional, national and local debates on its ethical and normative orientation. They highlighted the need for a discussion on its meaning, purpose, pertinence and relevance. In light of the current context, participants expressed that without such analysis "countries will not be able to fulfill their commitments."

Conclusions

In the summary of the workshop, participants acknowledged the urgency of rethinking education, which requieres different points of view and practices. There is a pressing need to "rebuild public service, quality public education in Latin America and the Caribbean, and consider it as a common good of the people."

The conclusions also highlighted the value of diversity in addressing education challenges. This increases the need for opinions that take into account the many aspects of knowledge, an environmental focus on education, recognition of cultural, racial, linguistic, sexual, epistemic and age differences in the region, education focusing on civil society and the reinvention of teaching in 21st-century society. Last but not least, education systems should be designed to bring people material well-being, as well as the possibility to fulfill their dreams and aspirations. Participants also valued UNESCO's openness to debating these issues with civil society movements, non-governmental organizations and intellectuals.

On this particular activity, Cecilia Barbieri, director (a.i.) of OREALC/UNESCO Santiago said that the organization of this workshop is "in line with the principles of the 2030 sustainable development agenda, which encourages enhancing social partnerships and collaborative processes to fulfill global commitments to guarantee the right to education for all."

Henry Renna, OREALC/UNESCO Santiago coordinator of activities with social actors, said that "it is crucial to create synergies between school systems and other educational experiments conducted by movements, collectives and organized communities. There is a potential that needs to be valued and promoted, both in practice and perspective."

This meeting gathered various regional civil society stakeholders, including members of civil society organizations, such as the Landless Workers Movement in Brazil, the People's Movement for Dignity in Argentina and the National Association of Rural and Indigenous Women of Chile. The meeting included civil society platforms such as the Latin American Council of Adult Education (CEAAL) and Mercosur Social y Solidario, alternative educational communities such as the Paolo Freire experimental school and the Conchalí Big Band, researchers of various Work Groups of the Latin American Social Science Council (CLACSO) and renowned critical thinkers such as Marco Raúl Mejías (Colombia), Mabel Thwaites Rey, Hernán Ouviña y Maria Rosa Goldar (Argentina), Gabriel Salazar, Jesús Redondo, Patricia May y Elisa Loncón (Chile) and representatives of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and of the Economic Commission for Latin American and the Caribbean (ECLAC).

• More information in the Summary of the main points discussed in this workshop (PDF, in Spanish)