The 19th Conference on Educational Cooperation on Special Education and Inclusion in Ibero-America will bring together 19 countries

The 19 countries that make up the network will participate in the 19th Conference on Educational Cooperation with Ibero-America on Special Education and Educational Inclusion, organised by RIINEE, which will take place at the Spanish Cooperation Training Centre in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. Officials from each Ministry of Education have been invited by the UNESCO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, the Spanish Ministry of Education, Vocational Training, and Sports (MEFPD), and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID).

RIINEE is a network composed of the Ministries or Secretariats of Education from Ibero-American countries, established with the aim of promoting educational opportunities, well-being, and social inclusion for people with disabilities. The network currently includes: Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Uruguay, and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of).

This conference will serve as a platform for exchanging knowledge and assessing progress in the development of inclusive educational systems in Ibero-America. Its goal is to analyse and strengthen the Regional Educational Information System for Students with Disabilities (SIRIED) by reflecting on the preliminary results of the project implemented in Latin America. The conference also aims to foster dialogue on the right to inclusive education, in the context of the 30th anniversary of the Salamanca Declaration, and to review the progress made in educational inclusion across Ibero-America to date.

"The 19th Conference on Educational Cooperation on Special Education and Inclusion in Ibero-America represents a unique opportunity to transform political commitments into concrete and effective actions at the regional level. At UNESCO, we deeply value cooperation and the exchange of experiences as key tools to build inclusive educational systems that leave no one behind. This conference is essential to ensure that every child, youth, and adult with special needs in our region can access an inclusive learning environment that maximises their potential," emphasises Esther Kuisch Laroche, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean.

Further information