Seminar II: 100 years Paulo Freire: 1921-2021Pedagogy as a political practice

The webinar will include keynote presentations by two specialists who have vast knowledge about children and Paulo Freire’s pedagogy: Carlos Calvo and Roberto Mauro Gurgel Rocha. The opening and closing remarks will be given by Mercedes Mayol Lassalle, OMEP World President. The event will be coordinated by Desireé López de Maturana Luna, Regional Vice President for Latin America.

Concept Note

Carlos Calvo was trained at Stanford University, United States, where he received his degree as an Educational Anthropologist. He then continued his doctoral and postdoctoral studies at this university, and at the Hadassah Wiso Research Institute in Israel. He is also Professor and Graduate in Philosophy, graduated from the Catholic University of Valparaíso. He currently works as an academic at the University of La Serena and the Open University of Recoleta, Republic of Chile. Throughout his life as a teacher and researcher, he has investigated the difference between education and schooling, as well as the way children learn. These ideas have been embraced and studied in graduate programs in Latin America and have been investigated in doctoral theses. Most are available online, as well as various conferences.

Roberto Mauro Gurgel Rocha is the vice president of OMEP Brazil, vice president of the State Council for Education of Maranhão, Agricultural Engineer and Sociologist, University Professor at the Federal University of Maranhão, Environmentalist, Social Militant for Children, he was National Coordinator of University Extension. He has 20 published books. He is a current member of the State Forum for Environmental Education and the Fundação Justiça e Paz da Igreja. He participates in the Global Educational Pact launched by Pope Francis.

Mercedes Mayol Lassalle is the World President of OMEP (World Organization for Preschool Education) since January 1, 2020. National Normal Teacher, Graduate in Education Sciences, University of Buenos Aires. Former Director of the Early Childhood Education area of the City of Buenos Aires. Currently, she is a Professor in the Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education at the University of Buenos Aires and in the Regional Program for Training in Planning and Management of Educational Policies, IIPE-UNESCO Buenos Aires, Office for Latin America. Elected member of the Coordination Group of the Collective Consultation of NGOs on EDUCATION 2030 – CCNGO / ED 2030.

Desireé López de Maturana Luna is a Doctor in Pedagogical Mediation; Magister in Educational Administration; Kindergarten Educator, with vast experience in the classroom and as an academic in different Chilean Universities; she has participated in research on cognitive development, play, and early childhood learning. She has written several articles on inclusion, play and learning in the first years of her life. She has served as National Executive Vice President of the National Board of Kindergartens between 2014 and 2018, where she implemented public policies for the level, expanding coverage with a territorial perspective. She promoted the creation of the Casa Ciudadana and the JUNJI Publishing House, with a national and international presence; She has participated in consultancy and coordination with national and international government agencies. She is currently a teacher at the University of La Serena and has assumed the Vice Presidency for Latin America of the World Organization for Early Childhood Education (OMEP).