The studies presented in this volume discuss education for citizenship and democracy and the role of schools as systematic providers of the civic knowledge and the participatory practices that are the foundation of democracy. Among all of the institutions that facilitate the acquisition and development of skills for democratic participation, the school is the one that provides students with the competencies to effectively participate as citizens in a democracy. There has been an increasing interest in citizenship education both in the national and international contexts. At the national level, the aim is to pursue commitment and political participation, particularly from youth. In the international sphere, the objective is to find answers to challenges such as immigration, global communications and trade across international borders, and to achieve a new level of awareness and appreciation for human rights. By providing a comprehensive overview of progress made by industrialized countries in the field of citizenship education, this study intends to share lessons learned and effective practices which may be applied in the context of Latin America and the Caribbean. In addition, this study includes three experiences from Latin American countries (Chile, Colombia and Mexico) that were presented during the VII Regional Policy Dialogue. The three experiences show a practical and positive approach to the feasibility of introducing citizenship education in the schools of the region. The cases present examples of reforms that evolved from traditional civic education into an engaging education for citizenship and democracy.
