October 8 2005, at 1300-1800

Evangelische Bildungstätte auf Swanenwerder, Insel Str 27-28, 14129 Berlin-Schwanenwerder

Members present

Sonja Danner, Austria
Hugo Verkest, Belgium
Juha Luodeslampi, Finland
Marja Honkaheimo, Finland
Paul Hopkins, England
Nils Åke Tidman, Sweden
Olga Schihalejev, Estonia
Marianna Szabo, Hungary
Peter Schreiner, Germany
Hans Fijn van Draat, Netherlands

1. Welcome

Sonja Danner greeted everybody. Apologies from Cath Sinclair, Scotland, Elisabeth Faber, Denmark, James Nelson, Northern Ireland, Jose M Guardia, Spain, Fernando Gonzalez, Spain, Dott Ruscica, Italy, Gatis Lidums, Latvia, Alfred Weber, Switzerland, Jane Brooke, England, Genevieve Locqueville, France.

2. Agreement of Agenda

The agenda was agreed.

3. Matters arising

As a number of the EFTRE Board meeting had also been present at the CoGREE meeting, we had an evaluation of this.

• The CoGREE meeting was more for scholars than the ordinary RE teacher. For the Budapest conference we need to make sure to get these to come
• Many of the Eastern members are a responsibility for EFTRE. The question is How do we get in touch with the key persons in the various countries? Valentin Kozhuharov might help us with names. So might also Inspector of RE SYNDESMOS Christophe d’Aloisio who is chairing an initiative to gather orthodox RE teachers.
• A cooperation with CoGREE might also be beneficial, regarding funding, advice, language requirement, the need for translation into which language was also discussed.
• Newsletter contributing both new from the participating organisations and news from the various countries is a good idea. Suggested to start with English, French and German, continue with Russian if the need and the ability to translate is there later on. The newsletter contributions could be prepared in Board and Executive meetings. To be published electronically, and only make paper versions when requested. Paul Hokins offered to handle the technical sides but content will need to provided.
• A European yearbook of 150-200 pages, with contributions for applied research, teacher training and from the classroom, reviews, tool for CoGREEs activities. An editorial board of 5-6, and advisory board 10-15 representing different countries. Each issue should have main theme. Possible to translate articles from the national journals for the yearbook. Peter Schreiner is in touch with a publisher
• CoGREEs mandate; sharing responsibility, schools are clearly EFTREs field, difficult to discuss on an abstract level. There needs to be an understanding of the times when EFTRE and CoGREE should work together and when they should follow separate paths.

4. Minutes from the last meeting

The minutes were agreed.

5. Report from the Executive Committee

The Exec has sent a few mails asking the Board’s opinion. It has been difficult to get any response. Sonja Danner suggested that a circular every few months to all the people on the board might be a good idea to help keeping EFTRE in everybody’s mind, all through the year, not only when the Board meets. A place on our internet site for good practice is an idea, Finland promised to start contributing, but the site is only valuable as long as we all contribute!

Hans Fijn van Draat pointed out that three fees (€100 / €50 / €0) was not so useful, that it would be useful if this was just paid and not paid. We agreed that organisations that cannot pay the full fee, send an application stating what they can contribute.

6. Membership, new members, revision of membership list

No invoices have been sent so far in 2005, due to change of bank account. This is now clear, and invoices will be sent. 3 organisations have paid by themselves.

The situation for RE teachers in Spain is difficult; the report from Jose M Guardia is attached.

No new members.

The question of individual membership came up; a suggested fee might be € 20.

All board members are asked to check the internet page and check the details for their country and mail the corrections to Marit Hallset Svare, who will forward it to Paul Hopkins.

7. Next conference

Contribution of Religious Education to Active Citizenship – Developing a European Perspective? 23 –26 August 2007 at the Lutheran University, Budapest, Hungary.

Aim

• Analyse the present situation
• What contribution can education make to create active citizens
• RE’s contribution to this
• Is there a common European understanding of what citizenship is?
• How to understand being a citizen on a local level and on a European level
• Living with differences and common values
• Philosophical approach
• Competences that shape active citizens
• Citizenship is not only in RE, but also other school subjects
• Many levels
• Practical level
  • RE in Citizenship
  • Citizenship on RE
  • Exploring the classroom

More on the conference will appear in due course including a draft programme

8. Practical info on the web site

The Board, and other members as well, need to give Paul Hopkins the information we would like to have on the website, such as Board and Exec minutes, country reports, links to official national RE documents, various RE organisations, etc.

The website will be updated by the end of October. Could members of the board please look, check parts relevant to them and comment on the site. We would also like to have some samples of good practice in RE from different countries in Europe – perhaps on lessons that would or could be pan European. If you can provide a good example please submit this.

9. National reports 2005

Please mail these to Paul Hopkins, eftre@paulhopkins.org.uk as soon as possible for an update of our website.

Current country reports on the site are:

• Belgium – 2005, Denmark - 2005, England – 2005, Estonia – 2005, Spain – 2005, Sweden – 2005, Netherlands - 2005
• Austria – 2004, Finland – 2004, France – 2004, Northern Ireland - 2004
• Germany – 2003, Norway - 2003
• Scotland – 2002, Hungary - 2002
• Italy - no report, Switzerland - no report

10. Next meeting:

Executive: 21 April 2006 in Manchester
Board: 30 September 2006 in Trondheim
Paul Hopkins is invited to the Board meeting.

11. Any other business

None.

Trondheim 18 October 2005
Marit Hallset Svare