In response, Ministers of Education of the 34 member states of the Organization of American States (OAS) have asked the Inter-American Committee on Education, through the OAS Department of Education and Culture, to implement an Inter-American Program on Education for Democratic Values and Practices. As part of this Program, we are working with the member states to develop, analyze and compare policies and programs in the field of education for democratic citizenship. While recognizing that no one single policy or program fits every context, we believe that international comparison can provide valuable insights that can inform actions within individual contexts. It is in this spirit that we promote policy dialogue and the sharing of experiences among policy makers, practitioners and researchers. And it is in this spirit that we have undertaken this study, based on information provided by our member states, to understand and share current policies on education for democratic citizenship throughout the Americas.
The following is the first of several reports that aim to compile information on current policies, programs, and research in education for democratic citizenship. Upcoming reports will focus on promising programs from around the region and on the state of evaluation of citizenship education policies in the Americas. We hope that these reports and the other activities of the Inter-American Program contribute to dialogue and increased collaboration among those working to strengthen a democratic culture in the Americas.
