VATICAN CITY, 3 DEC 2008 (VIS) - Made public today was a speech by Archbishop Silvano Tomasi C.S., Holy See permanent observer to the United Nations Offices and Specialised Institutions in Geneva, for the 48th international conference on education, organised by UNESCO and held from 25 to 28 November.

Speaking English, Archbishop Tomasi indicated that the goal of "education for all" must take into account "the needs of every person and in particular the needs of the poor and most vulnerable, of people with disabilities, of rural and of city slums youth, of young people and adults without any discrimination".

"Educators should remain aware that they carry out their service in co-operation with parents, who are the first 'educational agency' and have the priority right and duty to educate their children. This convergence of efforts is an evident application of the basic principle of subsidiarity", he said.

The Holy See permanent observer then went on to point out that "this educational community is called to promote a school that is a place of integral formation through interpersonal relations based on mutual respect and acceptance. In this perspective, inclusion is not an ideology that wears down all differences and loses sight of the situation of the concrete person, of her history and experiences, and that should remain at the centre of every educational programme".

"An inclusive education embraces all children and youth in their existential context and all persons dedicated to their formation, a comprehensive process that combines transmission of knowledge and development of personality. In fact", he concluded, "the fundamental questions any person asks deal with the search for meaning, of life and history, of change and dissolution, of love and transcendence".

Press release from the Vatican Information Service. To read the speech in full click here.

DELSS/EDUCATION/GENEVA:TOMASI

VIS 081203 (290)