OMEP 2024 conference theme and strands
Conference Theme: Sustainability from the Start
Following a genuine interest in Quality Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) and in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in Early Childhood, four strands have been put forward. They are drawn from the overall mission of OMEP:
OMEP’s aims and objectives are in particular to defend and promote the rights of the child with special emphasis on the right to education and care worldwide. To this end, OMEP shall help any undertaking which could promote access to quality early childhood education and care.
(The OMEP Constitution, 2.1)
1. Early childhood education and care for sustainability - play, teaching, learning and development.
Within the framework of this theme, research and development work related to children's play, teaching, learning and development from a sustainability perspective can be presented, discussed, and problematized. The teacher's role, children's perspectives, play and learning, teaching content, and methods are examples of topics that can be highlighted.
2. Research related to ECEC and younger children is a relatively new field that places special demands on both the researcher, the approaches and methods used.
Based on a sustainability perspective where special consideration is given to both the unique study object and the specific knowledge object, within this theme such aspects are made visible, presented, and discussed. Such aspects can be related to the choice of theoretical perspective and methods, ethical approach, consideration of children's perspectives and the researcher's role, etc.
3. Quality aspects of organising for ESD in ECE – place, space, and time.
Building sustainable environments for ECEC also concerns the physical environment’s design and structural aspects for opportunities to carry out teaching and learning. Within this theme, such aspects as place, space and time are presented, problematized, and discussed.
4. Children’s health and well-being, education for peace.
“OMEP, founded in 1948 in Prague, was established in order to advance the interests and overall well-being of children in all parts of the world, regardless of race, sex, religion, national or social origin.”
Never more war, was the common wish. In this theme research and developmental project that in some way relate to this topic can be presented and discussed.