Washington D.C. (United States),12th–15th May, 2025 | OIDEL carried out an intensive mission in the U.S. capital with the goal of strengthening its network of strategic alliances in defense of freedom of education and exploring new opportunities for institutional and academic collaboration.

During the four days of meetings, the Director of OIDEL, accompanied by Leslie Hiner —Vice President of Legal Affairs at EdChoice and, since April, a member of OIDEL’s Board of Directors— met with representatives from academia, think tanks, civil society organizations, and policymakers.

A central part of the visit focused on the Catholic University of America, where several meetings were held with professors from the human rights program. The discussions explored opportunities for academic collaboration, participation in OIDEL’s Summer University, and ways to involve the university in advocacy efforts at the United Nations.

In that same academic and civil society context, meetings were held with various actors from the confessional education sector and other civil organizations, including the Bipartisan Institute, the Association of Christian Schools International, the CATO Institute, and HSLDA. These conversations served to reinforce existing alliances, encourage new institutional memberships, and assess potential mid-term collaborative projects.

At the political level, OIDEL participated in a key private gathering in Washington that brought together state representatives, like-minded organizations, influential lobbies, and international NGOs. In addition, meetings were held with advisers to several senators to discuss concerns related to freedom of education at the international level and the role the United States can play in multilateral negotiations. These conversations have opened new paths for continued dialogue and the development of lasting partnerships.

OIDEL was also invited to attend a public event featuring the U.S. Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, where there was an opportunity for a brief conversation and the presentation of a copy of the recently published Freedom of Education Index.

The agenda concluded with a televised interview on EWTN, focusing on OIDEL’s work and the current challenges to educational freedom worldwide.

This visit reaffirms OIDEL’s commitment to collaborating with North American partners in the promotion of a free, pluralistic, and culturally and religiously respectful education — especially at a time when these principles face growing challenges on the international stage.