DECLARATION OF PARTICIPANTS OF THE NON-FORMAL EDUCATION CONGRESS 2014

The last decade of our century has brought us dynamic development in the area of non-formal education. We have managed to establish and develop the sector of educational and development services with all necessary background, largely due to well used European Funds.
Socially, we have triggered a hard process of breaking the stereotype that taught competences and a one profession are forever. Today we know that our own education has to be an ongoing process, that lifelong learning is necessary to maintain mobility and attractiveness in the labour market.
Further civilizational and economical progress of Poland, minimizing the distance between the most developed economies of European countries, are all possible thanks to creating a knowledgeable society that will engage its intellectual capital in the development of modern technologies, innovation and information transfer.
We, participants of the Congress of Non-Formal Education, make it our goal to consciously co-create the market of non-formal educational services by promoting lifelong learning.
Through taking care of quality, usefulness and the highest level of educational and development services delivered to the market, we wish to support employees in the Polish and European labour markets and protect them from professional exclusion.
Moreover, we want to engage all societies focused around non-formal education, from social partners to local governments to state authorities, in order to create systemic solutions that will allow to create a competitive and innovative economy, fully using the potential of non-formal education.
As signatories of this declaration, we sign it fully convinced that we are doing this on behalf of everyone who identifies with the idea of lifelong learning and those who participate or wish to participate in gaining new competencies through non-formal education.
We also hope that a signature under this declaration is a sign of starting a new mutual way towards cooperation within our area and following it in the upcoming years.