OMEP European Conference 2016

The Place of the Child in 21st Century Society | 5-7 May 2016
Canterbury Christ Church University

Key guests at UK conference 2016The 2016 OMEP European Assembly and Conference was held in Canterbury UK in May 2016 and the sun shone throughout a packed and exciting few days. The primary goal of the Conference was to bring together practioners, researchers and presenters from Europe and further afield to discuss the place of the child in 21st Century Europe.

The Conference was formally opened by the Vice Chancellor and delegates were welcomed to the Faculty of Education by Dr John Moss and to the City of Canterbury by the Mayor, Councillor Sally Waters. The opening ceremony in Augustine House included wonderful musical and dance performances from pupils from Wickhambreaux CP School and Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys.

As part of the Conference delegates were able to visit local schools and settings and evaluation showed how appreciative they were of this opportunity to see practice.

maggie koong presenting at UK conference 2016The European Assembly, the formal board meeting for European presidents and observers, discussed current and future European policy and projects. This meeting, chaired by the OMEP European President Dr Nektarios Stellakis, welcomed Dr Maggie Koong, the OMEP World President and Abimbola Are, the OMEP Vice President, Africa.

Keynote speakers reflected the richness of discourse and debate in early childhood education and underlined the role of OMEP as a UK organisation, referencing practice and policy in all four countries in UK.

Topics for the 85 workshops, symposia and presentations were wide-ranging and eclectic reflecting the broad themes of the conference and all demonstrated the importance of shared values and perspectives. They ranged across

  • glasses and nibblesEducation for sustainable development
  • Children and families moving and migrating
  • Working with families
  • Health, well-being & social development
  • Professional education, learning and development
  • Creativity and innovation
  • Intergenerational poverty, inequality and aspiration

The formal Gala dinner and ceilidh took place in the grounds of the Cathedral on a beautiful spring evening.

The UK OMEP Conference Organising Committee would like to thank CCCU for hosting the Conference and all delegates and presenters for their dedicated, informed and enthusiastic participation in the Assembly and Conference.