Details
The ASTI Global Solidarity Committee (GSC), established in 2022, will host its inaugural ASTI Global Solidarity Seminar on Saturday, February 28, 2026.
This seminar will focus on humanitarian issues across the world, and educational and other challenges being experienced in war-torn countries, among other subjects. A number of guest speakers, both Irish and international, will present on various topics of importance.
The ASTI has signed up to Comhlámh’s ‘Say No to Orphanages’ campaign. Comhlámh will be in attendance, outlining why, although well intentioned, orphanage volunteering and visits help to sustain a system that puts children at risk and harms their long-term development.
The seminar will strive to be as inclusive as possible of those attending, and there will be many Q&A opportunities throughout the day, as well as a highly engaging panel discussion with a number of interesting guests speaking on contemporary humanitarian issues.
Branches are invited to each nominate two delegates to attend this seminar. Branch secretaries should email the contact details of the nominated delegates from their branch to: [email protected]
The brief of the ASTI GSC is outlined in its terms of reference. It aims to:
- raise awareness among ASTI members of the challenges faced by teachers and their representative associations across the globe,
- promote the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4:
“Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”, - promote the principle of equality in all aspects of education and the teaching profession globally,
- promote the right to education,
- promote the rights of workers, especially teachers, and their unions where they are being victimised and/or denied human rights or trade union rights,
- enable the ASTI to express solidarity on humanitarian issues, in the context of global challenges such as world poverty, growing inequality, human rights abuses, denial of trade union rights, and climate crisis, and
- support the rights of children, both nationally and internationally, to education, to water, to food, to shelter, to medical assistance, and to freedom from violence and murder.