The Intereuropean Commission on Church and School (ICCS) is a working group, created in 1958 as a result of the initiative of individual representatives of various European churches. The aim was to provide a frame-work for co-operation in monitoring and developing the place of Religious Education in European schools.

In the beginning it was no more than a conference organising committee, that organised a conference every three years. This three year cycle is still the basis of the work, but the range of activities has broadened substantially over the last two decades.

ICCS is now active in the field of church and school and focuses on topics such as religious education, multicultural and multi-religious learning, norms and values education, ecumenical learning, education in Europe and the position of religion in the European education policy.

Relationships with other organisations

As ICCS works in the field of Church and School, it is not surprising, that from the outset the importance of links with organisations and other agencies was recognised. These links now exist with 'secular' as well as Christian or church organised institutions. From the beginning ICCS had good connections with the education department of the World Council of Churches and with the Conference of European Churches (CEC). Consequently, the first two conferences, in 1958 and 1962, were organised in Bossey (Switzerland).

ICCS is an associated member of the Conference of European Churches with special relations to the Church and Society Commission (CSC).

As the work of ICCS touches the whole area of school education and moral education, it goes without saying that links were made with the work of the Council of Europe. ICCS had personal contacts with people, working at the department of Education, Culture and Sport since 1964. This contact received official status when the participants of the conference of 1979 were received on the 5th of July at the headquarters of the Council in Strasbourg.

Since 1986 ICCS, as a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has had consultative status at the Council of Europe, and participates in the education group of the NGO Liaison Committee of the Council.

ICCS is also a member of CoGREE the Co-ordinating Group for RE in Europe

Organisation

For the details of the ICCS board - click here. In each country one or two representatives from the above mentioned first or second group are elected as correspondents . The task of these correspondents is to promote the idea of European co-operation in the area of church/school relationships in their own country. The correspondents are asked to maintain close links with other correspondents and with board members. Promoting the communication and exchange of ideas is a difficult, but very important task of the ICCS cor-respondents.

Once in three years the correspondents meet at the correspondents' meeting, held after the triennial conference. Then new members of the board can be elected, if necessary. The correspondents are also responsible for the composition of their national delegation to the conference. The board is elected by the correspondents. Eight seats on the board are related to specific countries or regions: Great Britain and Ireland, Benelux, Scandinavia, France, Germany, Southern, Eastern and Middle Europe. The board has the possibility to co-opt two extra members.