| World Confederation of Education - COMED |
A NEW PROPOSAL IS INITIATED
The IV Latin American Seminar on Private Education was held in San José de Costa Rica in July 1989. On that occasion, the members of the Executive Committee of FAEPLA had the opportunity to meet the representatives of two private educational entities from the United States and the European Community -John Pucciano (AICS) and Alvaro Fernández (CADEICE) respectively- in order to decide on the creation of an international organization which would act as representative of private education all over the world.
The "Declaration of San José" was the expression of that will and served as Foundational Act.
DECLARATION OF SAN JOSE
In the city of San José de Costa Rica, basis of an Inter-American Agreement, now a continental landmark, we, the representatives of Private Education of Latin America, North America and West Europe meet, promoting the respect for the liberties and rights of people, with the purpose of constituting an entity which summons our efforts in a joint task, having as objectives:
• To defend worldwide the inalienable right of men to freely select the education most suitable to their own convictions, as a fundamental condition to ensure their happiness and realizations;
• To encourage the enforcement and development of legislation that warrants the respect for freedom of education in every country;
• To support the creation of Federations or Associations of free entities in every continent, summoning them to joint this task.
• To foster quality and excellence in education throughout the world.
WHEREFORE, by virtue of the unanimously expressed intentions of the representatives of Continental Federations present for this act, and under the necessity of this historic instance, we do resolve to summon these people to the creation of the World Confederation of Education (COMED) to enforce the aforementioned principles. In San José de Costa Rica, during the VII Latin American Seminar of Private Education summoned by FAEPLA, on this third day of the month of August of the year one thousand, nine hundred and eighty-nine.
UNESCO (OREALC) AND COMED SIGNED A LETTER OF INTENTION
UNESCO, through its Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (OREALC) with COMED understand that: “Education is a universal right which should ensure people’s access to healthy lifestyles and sustainable, which is to the full development of human personality and strengthen respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms by promoting understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations and all ethnic or regional groups. That is the duty of society as a whole, promoting quality education for all citizens of the world, That Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, promotes the right of parents to participate in the education of their children,... ”
Therefore, on November 11th of 2011 in Santiago, Chile, UNESCO (OREALC) and COMED have signed a Letter of Intention in order to confirm the commitment to continue working on the post to ensure the universal right to education is quality for all citizens of the world being a superlative importance for the purposes outlined by the World Confederation of Education (COMED) for the current year.
It is also important to mention that the signing of this letter to our Confederation opens great potential as a strategic partner to work directly in line with UNESCO and its Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (OREALC).
UNESCO ESTABLISH AN OFFICIAL PARTNERSHIP WITH COMED
The United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO) through the letter of reference DG/7/15/8962 dated October 30, 2015, signed by the Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, announce that it has decided to establish an official partnership (consultatite status) between UNESCO and the World Confederation of Education (COMED), in accordance with the Directives concerning UNESCO´S partnership with non-governmental organizations, adopted by the General Conferenci at is 36th session.
As the Director-General said, “Cooperation between UNESCO and COMED has solid foundation, base on areas of common interest, synergies and previous collaborations, as witnessed by the regular participation of COMED in conferences organized by the UNESCO Office in Santiago.”
This is the most important recognition for COMED since was born on November 16, 1989 when he has not stopped working on what has become his motto: “While there are citizens in the world who do not have access to a quality education, our task is unfinished.”
EVOLUTION OF THE NAME: FROM COMEP TO COMED
After the IV Latin American Seminar on Private Education held in San José, Costa Rica, in July 1989, the authorities of then of FAEPLA, AICS and CADEICE decided to create an international organization that represents private education throughout the world. On November 16 in 1989, in Argentina COMEP was born the: World Confederation of Private Education, an NGO that allowed establishing subsidiaries in the countries represented in it.
COMEP is a non-profit, apolitical and democratic World Educational Organization, which acts on behalf of education around the world. An institution that has been distinguished with the status of NGO with Permanent Cooperation Relations with UNESCO (DG / 7/15 / 8962 Oct. 30, 2015 - Director-General of UNESCO). This is for the actions developed in the field of Education, which the institution has carried out from its origin to date and for its collaboration in the design of educational policies that applies worldwide.
This decision had as one of its main foundations, the participation of COMEP, as a representative NGO, in the meetings convened by UNESCO, through the Regional Office of Education for Latin America and the Caribbean (OREALC). As in Panama and Lima 2014, with all the Ministers of Education of Latin America and the Caribbean, where the fundamental pillars for the design of the 2015-2030 curriculum were discussed, from UNESCO to the world.
Both meetings were held in order to set the Post 2015 Agenda (2015/2030), within the framework of the commitment "Education for All (EFA)", that is, quality education for all children, youth and adults of the world, with the joint work of governments and organizations. COMEP was called to represent the institutions that it brings together with all the Ministers of Education of Latin America.
Through COMEP, the search for a quality education for all the citizens of the world is promote through a pedagogical proposal of personalized education. This epic begins in 1989, with the Legal and Definitive Constitution of COMEP. Since then its representatives have participated in more than 45 Education Congresses around the world where constant work for the development of an education that ensures social inclusion and the democratization of education and prepares the subject for life. What it means to assume it in its complexity and diversity, with the ability to maintain the directions or essential directions, but with flexibility and openness to new alternatives, therefore creatively, through resilience, has been one of the objectives of the Confederation
Nothing that happens is by chance. Family, School, Society and State make up a whole, where each of these parts is linked and fed back, building the path through which the present passes, with the consequence of the past and the expectation of the future.
On the other hand, considering that, education is a public good and that it pursues universal access and COMEP has integrated in the last years numerous associations, groups, entities or educational institutions of a total or partial private nature and state (public management). For this reason, since 2013 we consider the Confederation must change its name, given that interpretation in a broad sense will allow any state or private entity, public or limited, that participates in the principles of this Confederation and has an interest in participating, to do so. As long as, they must submit their petition to become an associate member, with the scope and prior approval of the General Assembly, all in the terms of Article 8 of the Statute. ("They can be accepted as Associate or corresponding members (without the right to vote), and after a special decision of the General Assembly, the Associations that meet the criteria that will be set in the Internal Regulation of the Confederation.").
For all the exposed, after the X World Congress of Education held in Bali, Indonesia 2013, where the need arose to change the name of COMEP to COMED (Confederación Mundial de Educación) World Confederation of Education. In 2015 at the meeting of the Board of Directors of COMEP in the framework of the XI World Congress of Education held in Lisbon, Portugal, it decided to communicate the request to the Desk for Intergovernmental and Non-Governmental Organizations of the Sector for External Relations and Public Information of UNESCO. A decision ratified in 2017, after the XII World Congress of Education developed in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and again notified to UNESCO.
Foundational meeting, san José de Costa Rica, 1989: Alvaro Fernández Martinez (Spain) - PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION OF AUTONOMOUS CENTERS OF PRIVATE EDUCATION, ACADE-, JOHN PUCCIANO (USA) -PRESIDENT OF THE NORTH AMERICAN AND CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF PRIVATE EDUCATION-, Luis R. Piñeiro (Puerto Rico) -PRESIDENT OF THE PRIVATE EDUCATION COMMISSION OF COSTA RICA- and Edgardo N. De Vincenzi (Argentina)
COMED representatives with the Minister of Education of Argentina, Antonio Salonia: President, Edgardo N. De Vincenzi and Vicepresident for Latin American and Caribbean, José Aurelio de Camargo; for North America, John Pucciano and for the European Community, Alvaro Fernández Martínez.
On November 16th., 1989, COMED was constituted definitely. A draft copy of its Body of Laws was approved and its Promoting Committee was confirmed to manage the entity until the selection of the First Executive Committee.
After the X WORLD EDUCATION CONGRESS celebrated in Bali, Indonesia the Council Management of COMEP decided that the name of COMEP turns to COMED (Confederación Mundial de Educación) World Confederation of Education. After the XI World Education Congress celebrated in Lisboa, Portugal the Council Management of COMED sent the notice to UNESCO.