The Arab Academy for Adult Education and Development in the Middle East, is part of the continuum analysis and reflection initiated by the four Arab networks engaged in Literacy and Adult Education, namely the Arab Campaign for Education; the Arab Network for Literacy; the Arab Network for Popular Education: and the Arab Network for Civic Education, under the partnership of DVV providing international funding and resources, accompanying and evolving with the project from the start.
The project was first launched in 2015 by the four networks to discuss the realities and state of Education in general, and of Adult Education and Development in the Arab World. Yearly meetings followed and discussions and analyses lead the networks to underline that the development and renewal of educational thought and practice in the region has become an imperative, if the Arab society is to advance and keep pace with international standards.
The process that was developed included at its start, a reading of the different stages of past failure and assessment of causes to help in building a “new education” and in developing a “new culture” around essential concepts necessary for a breakthrough establishing solid grounds for renewed dialogue between all concerned actors in the educational process. As a result, the adequate appreciation and evaluation of the reality would necessarily lead to the best appropriate plan.
The necessity for an overall renewal of educational thought and practice was thus emphasized leading to the foundation of an Arab Academy for Adult Education in the Arab World, at a workshop held in Hotel Le Crillon, in Broumana, Lebanon, from October 31st to November 6th, 2017, bringing together thirty three (33) participants from Lebanon, Palestine, Egypt, Sudan, Jordan and Morocco, who gathered to discuss the creation of such academy in light of the many problems related to education, and of the existing needs and demands in the area.
During the yearly sessions and seminars that followed, the four Arab networks tried to define the vision, the role, and the aim and objectives, as well as the responsibilities of the Arab Academy towards Education in general, and Adult Education in particular, so that the Academy becomes a needed reference and guide for Arab networks, governments, NGOs and the different constituencies of the Arab civil society.
