Author of the text: Brother Juan Antonio Ojeda FSC
OIEC is an international Catholic organization to participate in the Church’s mission to promote a worldwide Catholic-inspired educational project (http://oiecinternational.com/).
De La Salle Brothers Juan Antonio Ojeda (Project Manager of the OIEC) and Manuel Jesús Ceballos, with the collaboration of Professor Beatriz Ramírez, on behalf of the OIEC, have coordinated the development of the book report entitled: “Lights for the Road. GLOBAL PACT ON EDUCATION. Education of, with, and for all. Towards a more fraternal, supportive and sustainable society.”
In response to the call of Pope Francis to build together a Global Pact on Education, the OIEC, along with other organizations and entities, has mobilized itself to gather the opinions of different people around the world (students, teachers, parents, administrators, ministers of education, episcopal delegates of education), of religious institutions dedicated to education and also of international experts, on what could be done to overcome the difficulties and resistance to it; what to change in education in order to build a more human, fraternal, supportive and sustainable world; how to focus on people and educate them integrally from within; as well as other lights for the path towards such an alliance.
Similarly, in response to the Pope’s call to create the “educational village,” the book includes projects and programmes that show us the way and demonstrate that it is possible to improve the right to education, build a culture of peace or weave solidarity or care for the common home. Projects that empower children and young people and allow them to work with others, regardless of their territory, culture, race, religion or economy, to learn to be, to live together, to learn, to do, to take care of the “common home.” Projects that transform their lives and their contexts; that they approach in a critical, creative and collaborative way.
This book is a place of encounter; a place of humble listening that allows us to dialogue and understand what others bring to us, with a willingness to work together in building the pact. It is a book that inspires us and calls us to bring new light; that pushes us to decide together and by consensus. It is urgent to move from inaction to action, it is urgent that we all get involved in improving education. It is urgent to promote a quality education, with preference to the least and the last ones. Let us rebuild this alliance together! Let us mobilize, let us promote research and debate in our schools and with others; let us provide solutions, insights that are valid and acceptable to all.
It is therefore a book to complete and work on in our communities and contexts, creating reflection groups among the different educational and social agents. In diverse groups within the school itself or the school network, with other Catholic or non-Catholic schools, with other public or private institutions. The important thing is to meet, dialogue and move forward together to bring about a better education for all and with all.
We invite you to share the book with many people. May it be a source of inspiration to continue providing light on this path towards the pact. May it mobilize us to move quickly into action, building together a new educational scenario in all corners of the world, without neglecting or excluding anyone.
