Adult educators and community activists step up dialogue for creating change in Eastern Europe

In support of adult educators and community activists stepping up dialogue for creating change in Eastern Europe through non-formal lifelong learning activities based in communities, Dr Rob Mark, PASCAL Learning Cities Networks (LCN) Coordinator recently addressed the Insha Osvita open space forum known as Dialogue for Change.

Rob focussed on the role which learning cities and learning communities can play in promoting local and regional development and in promoting dialogue which can lead to real social, economic and community change. Drawing on examples from other PASCAL learning cities and regions, he showed how engagement can encourage communities to learn from each other and in so doing creating a global dimension to city development. He also outlined the role and support which PASCAL has been giving to in support change.

His keynote address was given in the city’s Cultural Centre in Ivano-Frankivisk and was warmly welcomed by delegates from all over Ukraine and also Moldova & Russia. The speech was simultaneously translated into the 3 language groups represented - Ukrainian, Romanian and Russian. This enabled everyone to participate more fully. Rob’s address was followed up by informal meetings with individuals and groups during the 3 day forum. The event was attended by more than 50 people from various parts of Eastern Europe.

As PASCAL’s Learning Cities Networks Coordinator, Rob work involves providing support to the PASCAL learning city networks. In his role, he provides support to each network coordinators to assist them with engaging other PASCAL members and developing and growing new activities using online meetings and forums, research and development and through regional and international conferences and events. Rob commented:

The PASCAL Learning Cities Networks are playing an increasingly important role in enabling members to engage in information sharing and developing skills and knowledge to support change within communities. This in turn which will assist them in planning for alternative futures which are also sustainable.

A range of activities are planned for 2018 and into 2019. These include a networks forum at the Institute of Education in London (May 2017) as well as meetings of individual networks for sharing of ideas and work in progress which will be held alongside the 15^th PASCAL Conference in Suwon, Korea in August 2018. A one day event on ;Making Learning Happen; is planned for Ostersund ( Sweden) is planned by a new SIG on Cultural Heritage and Lifelong Learning. Later in November, a network event and conference on the theme of transformative learning is planned for Columbia University New York (November 2018) and a joint seminar with PASCAL and the European Museum Academy and Nordic Centre of Heritage Learning and Creativity is being planned for ( February 2019 in Sweden.

A further event on the challenges facing rural areas in the 21 st century is also being planned for south west Ireland by the PASCAL urban- rural network for March 2019. The event will look at a number of areas including the role which lifelong learning can play in addressing these challenges through flexibility, networking for sustainability, resilience and planning alternative futures.

These events provide a host of opportunities for PASCAL members to engage in a host of activities which will support the growth of lifelong learning and city development well into the 21 century.

In his role as Vice- Chair (International), for the UK’s University Association for Lifelong Learning (UALL) and PASCAL Learning Cities (LCN) Coordinator , Rob has also planned a seminar on ‘E-Learning Technologies for Lifelong Learning’ funded by the Turkish Research Council ( TUBITAK) which is taking place in January 2018 in Izmir, Turkey. More news will be available on all of these events in due course.

Rob Mark
PASCAL Learning Cities Networks (LCN) Coordinator