Brussels, 16/03/2015 (Agence Europe) - Education Commissioner Tibor Navracsics and EU education ministers will gather in Paris on 17 March for an informal meeting organised by the European Commission, the Latvian Presidency of the Council and France.
It was decided on 9 February in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Paris (see EUROPE 11249) to hold a meeting to open discussions on the positive effect of education in countering radicalisation. Discussion is likely to focus on how best to teach citizenship and to transmit the common values of freedom, tolerance and non-discrimination. Navracsics has said that he is persuaded that education has a positive role to play in bringing the various communities in the EU together. He is hoping for a fruitful discussion with ministers which will continue at the Education Council on 18-19 May. At the meeting, the commissioner and the ministers are expected to restate their commitment to protecting pluralism and freedom of thought, fundamental EU values. (Isabelle Lamberty)