The Pontifical Catholic University of Chile organized a two-day workshop on “Educational Pluralism in Latin America and the Caribbean: comparative legal overviews and the role of faith-based actors”. Its purpose was to show, comment and discuss the results of the research projects carried out by the UC Law and Religion Center in conjunction with the School of Law of the University of Notre Dame (USA) and the Kellogg Institute for International Studies, led by Professors Nicole Stelle Garnett (Notre Dame) and Ana Maria Celis (UC Law).

The meeting was attended by 20 professors and/or professional experts in the areas of law and education from 12 countries in the region. It was an interdisciplinary and interreligious activity, since the Catholic, Evangelical and Adventist Churches also participated.

Ignasi Grau, director of OIDEL, was invited as an expert to present the nature of the discussions around educational pluralism in international organizations. Grau showed how despite strong protection of parental rights in legally binding treaties, these rights were being emptied of content through soft law initiatives. The purpose of this session was to provide adequate information the areas of legal regulation of parental rights; religious freedom and equality and non-discrimination; autonomy; public funding, religious classes, among others, in Latin American and Caribbean countries. In this sense, part of OIDEL’s role was to bring an international perspective to the different discussions.