March 7, 2007

What’s Being Done to Support Youth Education in Coffee-Producing Communities?

An education forum in Cartagena, Colombia

CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA – Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) is hosting a two-day forum March 8th and 9th for educators working in coffee-producing communities, coffee industry representatives working on corporate social responsibility and members of international organizations that support public-private partnerships in order to find creative solutions to the educational needs identified in the region.

The forum targets corporate social responsibility concerns of the coffee sector as they relate to education. During the two day event, participants will explore the education needs among coffee-growing communities, current programs that respond to such needs, and matching-fund programs for private investment in education. Agenda topics include:

1. Defining Public-Private Partnerships
2. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Colombia
3. The Role of the Public Sector in Public-Private Partnerships
4. The Role of the Media in Public-Private Partnerships
5. An analysis of educational needs and interventions needed
6. Case studies of current Public-Private Partnerships
7. Existing Public-Private Matching Fund Programs

In attendance will be senior staff of USAID, the Inter-American Development Bank, major coffee companies, Procter & Gamble representatives, education specialists working in these communities such as the Colombian Coffee Federation, Fundación Luker and Fundación Manuel Mejía, and European organizations such as 4C.

For more information, contact Stephanie Foerster in EDC’s International Education Systems Division at 202-572-3769.

Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) is one of the world’s leading nonprofit education and health organizations. EDC brings researchers and practitioners together to advance learning and healthy development for individuals of all ages and institutions of all types. The International Education Systems Division (IES) works in over 25 countries on education and social development programs. IES is a leader in the use of technology to address issues of access and quality in learning, but also carries out policy and planning and conducts conventional face-to-face training programs. For more information, visit ies.edc.org