European Trade Union Committee for Education

On behalf of ETUCE, Susan Flocken, European Director, expresses her profound concern on the Wednesday's attack occurred outside of the Houses of Parliament in London. These acts of violence attempt to destabilise and undermine the core values and principles of the European society must be regarded as a sign of disrespect of democratic citizenship, tolerance, open-mindedness and critical thinking. In sincere sympathy with the victims, she emphasised that education plays an important role in shaping student’s personality and ability to build constructive dialogue and resolve conflicts in a peaceful way.

Governments should take active steps in promoting education as a defence against the rise of violence, racism, extremism, xenophobia, discrimination and intolerance” [...] as reflected in the Council of Europe Charter on Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education and the Paris Declaration signed by the Ministers of Education on 17 March 2015. ETUCE has highlighted on numerous occasions, that the transmission and protection of universal values and the creation of environments that favor learning and living in a diverse society should be ensured from early childhood and continued throughout lifetime.