Instead of sending each of its members a Christmas card, the EI affiliated Swedish Teachers’ Union, Lärarförbundet, decided to give 50,000 Swedish Krona (around €5,600) to EI’s Solidarity Fund.
The Solidarity Fund supports teachers who fall victim to war and natural disasters, and also to advocate for everyone’s right to an education.
In 2013, the Solidarity Fund paid for:
· Supporting teacher trade unions in the Philippines after the devastating and murderous typhoon in November 2013
· Developing the first step to build an organisational programme for teacher trade unions in Burma
· Increasing capacity development of two teacher trade unions in Palestine, the General Union of Palestinian Teachers and the Association of Early Years Teachers
· Developing a programme for teacher trade unions in Georgia to build their capacity to administer membership fees after the previous government stopped doing this for them
· Supporting the Serbian teacher trade union in Kosovo that was having difficulties transferring membership fees from Belgrade
· Developing activities in Haiti to support new membership organisations
· Preparations for training in Syrian refugee camps in Lebanon
· Supporting Ethiopian colleagues forced to leave their country because of their trade union involvement
· Providing legal support to a teacher trade union in Bahrain
EI: Encourage wealthy affiliates to contribute
“We welcome this initiative by our Swedish colleagues,” said EI General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen. “We urge affiliates to contribute to EI’s Solidarity Fund and support colleagues in poorer countries or countries devastated by natural disasters, allowing them to undertake activities and organise events in their own countries and regions, helping to ensure access to free quality public education for all.”
If you also wish to contribute to EI’s Solidarity Fund, here is the relevant information:
Education International "Fonds de Solidarité"
ING Bank
Avenue Marnix, 24
1000 Brussels
Account number : 310-1006170-75
IBAN : BE05 3101 0061 7075
SWIFT: BBRUBEBB