The University of Geneva, in collaboration with ERDIE (Équipe de Recherche en Dimensions Internationales de l’Éducation), Abdou Moumouni University and the Chizzolini Foundation, successfully organized a seminar on the topic of “Localizing, decolonizing or globalizing the curriculum” on June 7, 2023. OIDEL (Organisation Internationale pour le Droit à l’Éducation et la Liberté d’Enseignement) actively participated in this event, which took place at the University of Geneva.

The seminar was introduced by Mrs. Gandolfi, President of the Chizzolini Foundation, who presented a project in Niger to create a school that values African culture and indigenous values.

Mr. Maulini, Director of the Institut Universitaire de Formation des Enseignants at the University of Geneva, then spoke about the tension between universalism and localism in education. He raised questions about the content taught in schools and its relevance to students’ needs, as well as the need to share common knowledge to inform debates and address global challenges.

Next, Mr. Sagayar and Mr. Adamou, from Abdou Moumouni University in Niger, spoke about the need to rethink education from an African perspective. They emphasized the importance of collective work and shared vision in rethinking education. They also emphasized the role of educational consultants in building the capacity of teachers in the field.

Immediately after, Mr. Akkari, Professor of International Dimensions of Education at the University of Geneva, mentioned his involvement in writing the book “Repenser l’éducation : alternatives pédagogiques du Sud” (2021). He addressed the issue of intercultural translation and the importance of not colonizing concepts by translating them from one culture to another.

Mr. Dasen, Honorary Professor at the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of the University of Geneva, then presented the book “Repenser l’éducation : alternatives pédagogiques du Sud” and stressed the importance of decolonizing minds and knowledge, as well as other publications on education in Africa. He questioned the relevance of international education policies to local cultural realities.

In the roundtable discussion that followed, Mr. Mounkaila, a lecturer in Geography at the Ecole Normale Supérieure of Abdou Moumouni University in Niamey, Mr. Rizzi, a collaborator of the Chizzolini Foundation, Mr. Grau Callizo, Director of OIDEL, and Mr. Ignace, Editor-in-Chief of the Globethics Foundation in Geneva, discussed their actions on globalization, decolonization, or relocalization of knowledge in education. The roundtable underscored the importance of reconciling the local and the global in education and promoting stakeholder participation in education policy making and identity formation. Mr. Grau Callizo emphasized that for quality education that respects the dignity of each individual, it is essential to take cultural identity into account and listen to stakeholders, especially parents.

Comments from the audience underscored the debates about identities, norms, and the construction of meaning, as well as the importance of rethinking the values taught in schools to reflect cultural diversity and promote the participation of all.