International Early Childhood Education and Global Vision

The World Organization for Early Childhood Education or OMEP, the acronym for the name in French, is the only world-wide non-governmental organization (NGO) that focuses on young children, ages 0-8.

OMEP's three languages are English, French and Spanish. The name of the organization in these three languages is:
World Organization for Early Childhood Education
Organisation Mondiale pour l'Education Préscolaire
Organizacíon Mundial para la Educacíon Preescolar

OMEP is a leader among the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and has close ties with UNICEF, UNESCO and the Council of Europe. The world members of OMEP are over 60 National Committees around the globe. Individuals are connected with OMEP through these national committees. The International Journal of Early Childhood comes out twice a year, and is a US National Committee membership benefit. The World Assembly is held every third year, with regional seminars in other years.

Information regarding the US National Committee of OMEP, and membership, may be found at www.omep-usnc.org.

Purpose of OMEP

OMEP-USNC, the US National Committee, publishes a newsletter three times a year, which goes to all USNC members and to the leaders of other OMEP National Committees. The USNC annual membership meeting takes place at the NAEYC Annual Conference. Meetings are held at other conferences, including ACEI, SECA and many regional and state conferences. The USNC is divided into eight geographical regions. The Governing Board includes the USNC officers and Regional Representatives from the 8 regions.

OMEP's objective is to use every possible means to promote the optimum conditions for the well-being of all children, their development and happiness within their families, institutions, and society. To this end, OMEP assists any undertaking to improve early childhood education, and supports scientific research that can influence these conditions. The USNC also works to educate its members and the public about issues relating to young children throughout the world.

The history of OMEP

After World War II, a strong humanitarian concern led a small group of educators and others concerned for the welfare of young children to seek a way to engage others committed to these aims.

In 1946 Lady Allen of Hurtwood (UK) and Alva Myrdal (Sweden), with others from France, Denmark, and Norway, presented their plan for the creation of a world organization. The UNESCO Assembly in Paris greeted the plan with warm support, and the founders invited representatives of 19 countries from 5 continents to a World Conference on Early Childhood Education in Prague in 1948. At that Conference, OMEP was born and Alva Myrdal was elected its first World President. The new organization was recognized then, as it is now, as the principal mechanism to bring together people from all over the world, without any criteria other than an objective to share information and initiate actions to benefit young children everywhere.

The second World Assembly, in 1949, drew representatives from 33 countries, and the third, in 1950, was attended by observers from the major intergovernmental agencies with related interests: UNESCO, UNICEF, and WHO.

Since then, triennial World Assemblies of OMEP have been held in: Mexico City, 1952; Copenhagen, 1954; Athens, 1956; Brussels, 1958; Zagreb, 1960; London, 1962; Stockholm, 1964; Paris, 1966; Washington, DC, 1968; Bonn, 1971; Caracas, 1974; Warsaw, 1977; Quebec, 1980; Geneva, 1983; Jerusalem, 1986; London, 1989; Flagstaff, Arizona 1992; Yokohama, 1995; Copenhagen, 1998; Santiago, Chile in 2001; Havana, Cuba, in 2005; Troms¢, Norway, in 2006; Mexico City, Mexico, in 2007. The Regional Conference for the Asia Pacific Region is in Bangkok, Thailand, November 21-24, 2008. The next OMEP World Assembly and Seminar will take place in Quebec, Canada on August 6–8, 2008, conference theme "Nurturing Peace Together With Children." Upcoming World Assembly sites are: Nigeria in 2009; Gothenburg, Sweden, 2009, conference theme "Children – Citizen in the Challenging World." For information, go to http://www.omep-ong.net/eng_index.html

OMEP-USNC Children's Day November 20	OMEP-USNC National Newsletter
Children's Day Activity Packet - Nov. 20, 2003	Fall 2004
Children's Day Activity Packet - Nov. 20, 2004	Winter 2005
Children's Day Activity Packet - Nov. 20, 2005	Summer 2005
Children's Day Poster	Fall 2005
Children's Day Song	Winter 2006
Children's Day Poster	Fall 2006
	Fall 2007
	Winter 2008 (With membership brochure)

For questions about this information, contact Lita K. Haddal (608) 224-5388

Last updated on 3/13/2008 6:36:32 AM