International Adult Learners Week
in Europe

Network of Learning festivals

• Introduction
• The Network's Holistic Concept for Cooperation
• Potential Organizers of Events During a Learning Festival/ALW
• Authorities/Governing Bodies at Different Levels
• Sponsors and Supporters
• Media
• Adult Learners

Authorities/governing bodies at different levels:

National bodies:

ministry of education, ministry of culture, ministry of labour and social affairs, ministry of economic affairs, governmental agencies, national employment agency, parliamentary commissions for education, culture and labour, national statistics and research institutes, national funding institutions etc.

Local and regional authorities:

municipalities, district councils, regional labour offices, inspectorates of education, local employment agencies etc.

General & Strategic Recommendations:

• Contacts with authorities should be seen as a priority and a constant information flow is needed not only before and after the festival, but as part of a constant working relationship beyond the festival.
• Remain open and appreciate any type of support: funds, opening of events, venues, statements in front of the media, share some of the work load etc.
• Remain politically neutral in relation to the authorities (regardless of which party the government is) and stay in touch with all political actors.
• Make the inclusion of the learning festival into strategic government documents (long-term plans, strategy of lifelong learning etc.) a priority as this will ensure its recognition and larger impact.
• Information exchange on an international level is beneficial to the in country implementation of the learning festivals.
• Good practice exchange on regional level within the countries is also recommended.

Examples & Ideas:

• In Iceland, Finland, Romania and Slovenia, national boards act as overall steering committees for the festival.
• In Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary and the Netherlands, a “committee of experts” has been set up which gives guidelines and recommendations for the selection of themes, trying to ensure a certain amount of political engagement.
• In Slovenia, there is an organizing board at municipality level taking care of the preparation, implementation and evaluation of the learning festival; it consists of representatives of the municipality, education providers and many other stakeholders.
• In Italy, the national Socrates agency provides materials in support of the learning festival to promote a European feeling.