Annual meetings of SIESC
| 2011 56th | Warsaw (Poland) | Spirit of community versus spectres of the past: the role of teachers, especially Christian teachers in purifying recent memory | ||
| 2009 55th | Strasbourg (France) | Education to citizenship in our diverse European countries | ||
| 2008 54th | Agrigento (Italy) | Education to spirituality and interculture - two riches of Europe yesterday, today and tomorrow | ||
2007 53rd |
Samobor (Croatia) | Spirituality and mission of Christian teachers in Europe today | ||
| 2006 52nd | Modra (Slovakia) | How to educate in freedom? | ||
| 2005 51st | Salzburg (Austria): | Relationships between state, religious communities/ churches and school in various European countries | ||
| 2004 50th | Maribor (Slovenia): | Pupils outside the norm, a challenge for teachers | ||
| 2003 49th | Prague (Czech Republic): | A Christian education for the 21st century | ||
| 2002 48th | Frascati (Italy): | New needs of formation for students, teachers and headmasters: from a national dimension to European perspectives | ||
All places and themes of the annual meetings of SIESC since 1955
SIESC, a rather rare place of encounter
by Yves Calais, 29/07/2011
SIESC is a place of encounter of teachers of European Catholic or Christian associations and teachers not attached to associations.
There it welcomes protestant colleagues (this time Lutheran Swedes) and orthodox ones (this time Serbians) in complete equality. There it also welcomes, if an occasion presents itself, Jewish, Muslim or atheist colleagues in the same equality.
That is our simple way.
Our meeting does not intend taking a common position for a collective action, which might concern civil society, teaching or religious life; which is, however, the case with a lot of our associations; each one with its proper objectives.
Our meeting intends to give us opportunities of living and reflecting together in the diversity of our national heritages. It’s up to each one to take the necessary steps, either personally or in the framework of their associations. But we make known what we live and reflect, whenever it is necessary.
That means entering on a certain freedom from obligation by keeping one’s distance quite different from the urgencies harassing us. That’s our way of living in freedom and truth, which we research together.
Our meeting has another essential feature of identity.
This living and reflecting together are marked by our reference to the God of Jesus Christ, without any manifestation of piety apart from the usual ones, without any other presence of priests except as spiritual assistants of our associations, whom we are very happy to have among us if they can come. Under these circumstances we are recognized as a Catholic association.
This living and reflecting together happens in a great conviviality, which allows great freedom and deep confidence in conversations. That’s our way of being brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ in deep respect to each one.
Therefore a scarce organisation is enough: a Council and its Executive Bureau, formed by delegates of associations and individual members of SIESC, and little financial means.
We have four kinds of encounters:
- the great international meeting in summer,
- “SIESC-Today”, the biannual bulletin in French, German and English,
- the website in three languages “www.siesc.eu” (not used sufficiently),
- and the personal relationships developed in the course of the years.