The Lisbon City Council is working to launch a Municipal Anti-Racism Education Program in the next school year, a municipality source told Lusa this Friday.
“The municipal anti-racism education program is being developed with a view to implementing it starting from the next school year,” the municipality said in response to questions about the creation of a multicultural anti-racism and human rights school proposed two years ago by the Citizens for Lisbon (CPL) organization. currently having three councilors in the municipal executive branch.
Lisbon City Council states that municipal services have carried out a diagnosis “not only of the number of integrated foreign children, including their nationalities and special needs (namely with regard to the acquisition of the Portuguese language)” but also of “specific projects”. “already” implemented and developed by civil society organizations.”
In a written response to Lusa, the municipality states that, based on the needs identified through a diagnosis carried out through a questionnaire applied to all school groups and non-grouped schools in Lisbon, a structuring is “currently being carried out.” proposals for activities aimed at involving all children.”
At the same time, he adds, “a process of coordination with various partner organizations is also underway to achieve the intended goals.”
The adviser responsible for education, Sophia Atayde, quoted in the response, acknowledges that the capital’s “growing multiculturalism of the population” makes it “essential that we adjust educational projects to welcome children who bring with them different cultures, languages and experiences, which contribute to creating more rich and inclusive environment.”
A council member (elected CDS-PP) emphasizes that it is “very important” that there is “effective integration in schools, providing a space where [as crianças] to feel safe, respected, valued and where they are learning and learning.”
However, the Lisbon City Council reminds that the powers of the authorities in the field of education are limited to “buildings, day-to-day management and the activities of students outside of school hours.”
The municipal program for multicultural anti-racist school education and human rights, proposed by Citizens of Lisbon, was unanimously approved by the Lisbon City Council in July 2022, with a view to taking effect in the school year starting in September of that year. year, which did not happen.
At the time, the CPL justified the proposal by the “visible rise of populist and radical discourses promoting racism, xenophobia and inequality,” arguing that “to combat them we must start from the very beginning” by promoting the values of diversity. and intercultural dialogue in educational institutions and among young people.”
In response to Lusa’s message regarding the Lisbon City Council’s direction that the program should begin next school year, CPL lamented “two years of delay,” stressing that “if necessary” in 2022, “recent developments in the city and in the country will show how much more relevant this is” in 2024.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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