The hearing started with a short introduction by the co-chairman, Mr Kaczmarek, followed by a keynote speech by Commissioner Piebalgs. These words summarize well both the Commissioner’s message and the general tone of the hearing: ‘Development education is about raising awareness and helping create a situation in which the European public is both informed about development issues and able to engage critically with global development. We need this public engagement. Not only to support our development policy and its objectives, but mainly to help shape the future of Europe and our relationship with the rest of the world.’

The first panel on the question: Why development needs development education included the following speakers:
 Vanessa Andreotti, Professor of Global Education at the University of Oulu - Finland
 Zuzana Hlavičková, Director of Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic
 Matthias Fiedler, Director of the Irish Development Education Association, lecturer on DEAR at the Dublin City University

The presentations gave an overview of the concept of Development and Global Education as well as the rationale for Development Education both on national and European level. Many of the points of the debate reflected the recent Position Paper Development needs Citizens issued by the DARE Forum of Concord. The last speaker gave a particularly clear overview of the way Development Education contributes to the new paradigms in development policy, like Policy Coherence for Development, Development Effectiveness and Human Rights Based Approach to Development.

During the second panel: Towards a strategy for European Development Education Policy the following speakers provided their statements:
 Krzysztof Stanowski, Polish Undersecretary of State in charge of development policies
 Helmuth Hartmeyer, Head of Department for Development Communication and Education at the Austrian Development Agency, Chair of the Global Education Network Europe
 Denis Huber, Executive Director of the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe
 Rilli Lappalainen, Director of the Finnish NGO platform Kehys, CONCORD board member

The focus of the panellists was clearly on the idea of drafting a European Development Education Policy or Strategy, based on the successful experience of many national strategies on Development Education as well as the need for more harmonisation and coordination of the Development Education policies and practice on the European level. The debated policy would also help coordinate between the actors of Development Education and related domains, like Human Rights Education and Education for Sustainable Development.

Both panels were commented by the new head of the Human and Society Development section of the DG Development and Cooperation - EuropeAid, Kristian Schmidt. He expressed his support to the concept of Development Education and answered to the issue of the evidence of impact of DE projects (raised earlier by the MEP Franziska Keller) referring to the growing support to the development cooperation activities of EU captured in the EUROBAROMETER, even in the times of economic crisis. He also committed to the implementation of the outcomes of the, so called, DEAR Study (carried out last year by the EC). What is more, in the new Multiannual Financial Framework the Commission has proposed an increase of 20% for the Non-State Actors and Local Authorities program (under which operates the call for proposals for Development Education projects).

The hearing was concluded with the closing remarks by the co-chairman, Mr Neuser, who referred back to the need of a European policy on Development Education.

You can watch the whole event on the website of the European Parliament.

You can also find more information in the press release of DEEEP and an article on IPS website.