COOPERATION IN ACTION

OAS-SEDI: Forging New Partnerships for Development

January 29, 2015. Washington, DC
OAS-SENA Colombia join efforts for professional and vocational training. The new interinstitutional agreement between the OAS-SEDI and the National Service of Learning (SENA) of Colombia - an exemplary institution in delivering comprehensive professional and vocational training programs - opens new opportunities for cooperation in the region. The agreement was signed in response to the growing interest expressed by member states to provide workers with the skills needed to close the gap between labor supply and demand, and could make SENA courses available for citizens from other countries. The agreement also provides the basis for promoting bilingualism in the region, through the exchange of teachers originating from English-speaking countries. Actions or projects to be developed in the framework of this new partnership will be detailed in specific derivative arrangements.

December 30, 2014. Washington, DC
ITEN concludes cooperation missions between 16 Member States. The Inter-American Teacher Education Network (ITEN) is working on compiling detailed information about the lessons learned and achievements of the 12 technical cooperation missions carried out during 2014 with the participation of over 250 representatives from the Ministries of Education and teachers from 16 OAS member states. Financed entirely or partially by ITEN, these missions supported the institutional strengthening of the region’s Ministries of Education by promoting knowledge sharing on policies, experiences and best practices in the field of the teaching profession and teacher professional development. Additional information, including each mission’s report, will be available shortly in ITEN’s knowledge bank Co-TEP.

December 5, 2014. Washington, DC
The OAS-SEDI team reaches out to its local Washington community during the holidays.  The OAS-SEDI team held a food-drive in December in coordination with the Capital Area Food Bank (CAFB), providing 160 pounds of food (enough to feed 10 families) and cash donations for local families struggling with hunger – estimated at nearly 700,000 individuals in the area. In addition to distributing food, the CAFB educates, empowers and enlightens the community on issues of hunger and nutrition. The OAS-SEDI also joined almost 20 embassies at the 2014 Winternational event held at the Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center, raising local awareness and sharing information about the work of the OAS for the region’s development with over 1,000 local guests.