Webinar: Decolonial Practice in Global Citizenship Education

Date: Friday 13 October, 11.00am - 12.30pm

Location: Online via Zoom


IDEA is inviting you to join us for our Webinar on Decolonial Practice in Global Citizenship Education (GCE) on Friday 13 October, 11.00am - 12.30pm  online via zoom. This webinar aims to build understanding of decolonial practice and share approaches to building capacity for decolonial practice in their organisations. Participants will explore what is meant by decoloniality and decolonising organisations. This webinar also aims to equip participants to strengthen anti-oppressive, anti-racist and decolonial practice in their organisations in line with Principle 11 of the IDEA Code of Good Practice for Development EducationThis event will be moderated by Sive Bresnihan, who is currently the Training and Education Co-ordinator with Comhlámh and speakers Rosalba Icaza, Dastan Kamanzi, who will provide their insights into decoloniality and decolonising organisations and Alice Feldman an activist-educator, art maker and researcher in the School of Sociology, University College Dublin.


Rosalba Icaza, is a Professor of Global Politics, Feminisms and Decoloniality at the Institute of Social Studies Erasmus University Rotterdam. Prof Icaza is a decolonial feminist activist-scholar with over 15 years of research and teaching experience on feminisms, global politics, and research methodologies. 


Dastan Kamanzi is a thinker, Pan-Africanist, and media expert from East Africa, Tanzania. He is the Executive Director of the Tanzania Media Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organization that promotes Media for the public good. He has developed a philosophy called the Tija Human person philosophy and a Work-learn approach which is a pre-colonial approach to education used by Africans to transform their environment before they came into contact with the colonizers.


Alice Feldman is an activist-educator, art maker and researcher in the School of Sociology, University College Dublin. She has worked at the intersections of aesthetics, epistemology and pedagogy in the contexts of knowledge justice projects across university, civic and grassroots landscapes for over 20 years


For more information and if you have any questions, please contact Elaine Mahon via email elaine@ideaonline.ie


Registration for this event is closed!

Biographies

Rosalba Icaza Image

Speaker: Rosalba Icaza is a decolonial feminist activist-scholar with over 15 years of research and teaching experience on feminisms, global politics, and research methodologies. Rosalba is a member of the Transnational Network Other Knowledges (RETOS) and collaborates with Suumil Mookt'aan in Sinanche, Yucatan, Mexico. In 2016 she was appointed to the University of Amsterdam Diversity Commission, the first body of its kind in the Netherlands, that conducted research on the state of demographic and epistemic diversity in UvA's governance of teaching and learning. Rosalba is currently part of an international consortium financed by an Erasmus Plus Grant that explores diversity in Europe's Dance Higher Education. Rosalba is also part of the EU-funded Cost Action on Decolonising Development. She is a Full Professor of Global Politics, Feminisms, and Decoloniality at the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS), Erasmus University of Rotterdam (EUR). Her latest publications include: A world in which many worlds can fit: On Knowledge Production and Multiplicity”, in Kohl. A journal on Body and Gender Research. Special Issue on Anticolonial Feminist Imaginaries. Contesting the Present, vol. 9, no.1, winter 2023; “Undoing Coloniality? Polycentric Governing and Refugee Spaces”, in Polycentrism. How Governing Works Today, Edited by Frank Gadinger and Jan Aart Scholte. Oxford: Oxford University Press. With Tamirace Fakhoury, 2023; Our Bodies Breathe Resistance: Covid-19 Stories from/in the margins”. Guest editor with Zuleika Sheik, Globalizations, vol 20, issue 2, 2023.

Dastani Profile picture

Speaker: Dastan Kamanzi is a thinker, Pan-Africanist, and media expert. He is the Executive Director of the Tanzania Media Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organization that promotes Media for the public good. He is also a mentor, coach, and media consultant. Kamanzi is passionate about the development of Africa and its people. He believes that the key to Africa's success is to nurture and grow its human capital. He has developed a philosophy called the Tija Human person philosophy and a Work-learn approach. The worklearn approach is a pre-colonial approach to education used by Africans to transform their environment before they came into contact with the colonizers. It is one of the approaches meant to decolonize the minds of the colonized (Africans). Kamanzi is a highly respected figure in the Tanzanian media community. He is known for his expertise in media development, media and democracy, and media ethics. He is also a strong advocate for freedom of expression, media pluralism, and viability. Kamanzi holds a Master's Degree in Mass Communication from St. Augustine of Tanzania and a BA (Hons) in Culture and Heritage (Archaeology major and minor in Philosophy) from the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.



Speaker: Alice Feldman is an activist-educator, art maker and researcher in the School of Sociology, University College Dublin. She has worked at the intersections of aesthetics, epistemology and pedagogy in the contexts of knowledge justice projects across university, civic and grassroots landscapes for over 20 years. More recently this work inspired the practice-led MA Race, Migration and Decolonial Studies she developed in 2016, which has at its heart her longstanding compulsions towards decolonial experiments with art-political practices and embodied knowledges, through method-il-logical inquiries and body-based learning. The unanticipated community of practice impelled by the MA gave rise to The Bureau of Decolonial Aesthesis, which continues this work beyond the spaces of the programme. After chairing the UCD Parity Studios/College of Social Sciences and Law Artist in Residence Programme for several years, she began a collaboration in 2019 with choreographer and movement artist Rajinder Singh as part of an ERAMUS+ Strategic Partnership project, Circus as Intercultural Encounter. The multi-modal, experiential practice they created during this time became the foundation for their recent year-long art/out/reach, Alien Embodiments, in response to The Otolith Group’s 2022 exhibition, Xenogenesis, at the Irish Museum of Modern Art. 

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Sive Bresnihan Image

Moderator: Sive Bresnihan is currently Training and Education Co-ordinator with Comhlámh. In addition to this role, she sits on the IDEA Code of Good Practice Panel, Children in Crossfire's Educating the Heart trainer panel and, since 2020, DVV Germany’s Expert Panel for the Cross-border Sustainability Alliances project. With a background in drama & theatre studies, and international development studies, Sive worked with Trocaire in Rwanda and later in Zimbabwe between 2003 and 2008 before transitioning into adult education in 2010. She is a novice practitioner of Gestalt Theatre in Education and combines this with an ever-strengthening commitment to decolonial pedagogies. Sive holds an MA in Development Studies from the Kimmage Development Studies Centre and an MEd in Adult Education from the University of Cape Town.  




August 25, 2025
The Irish Development Education Association (IDEA) has joined a growing coalition of Irish civil society groups in endorsing a critical open letter, urging the Irish government to formally join the Hague Group and push for an end to the genocide of the Palestinian people. The appeal, initiated by IDEA members Comhlámh and Afri, demands that Ireland act decisively ahead of the Hague Group’s 20 September deadline, coinciding with the 80th UN General Assembly. Ireland has already sent a representative to participate in a recent Hague Group meeting, signalling its engagement with this urgent international initiative. However, civil society organisations stress that formal membership and full endorsement of the Group’s six measures is now essential if Ireland is to match its words with action. Halting arms transfers to Israel. Preventing military transit and servicing of vessels carrying such goods. Enforcing shipping controls, including penalties like de‑flagging. Reviewing public contracts to eliminate state support for occupation. Pursuing national or international investigations for serious international crimes. Enabling domestic prosecutions using international jurisdiction. The open letter outlines grave concerns over escalating atrocities in Gaza and the West Bank, including settler violence, land dispossession, home demolitions, and forced displacement. It points out that, while UN efforts have been blocked, the Hague Group offers an immediate and tangible path toward justice. For IDEA, the call is also about upholding the principles of Global Citizenship Education (GCE). At its core, GCE is an educational process that helps people of all ages understand global interdependence, think critically about injustice, and develop the skills to take meaningful action. It cultivates empathy, solidarity, and responsibility, encouraging learners to connect local and global struggles. Supporting the Hague Group is therefore not only a matter of foreign policy, but also an expression of Ireland’s commitment to educate for justice and to model these values in practice. Ireland has until 20 September to join the 13 countries that have already committed to six concrete pledges at the Hague Group summit. As the deadline approaches, this coalition is calling on all TDs and Senators to publicly back Ireland’s membership, advocate for the six pledges within government ranks, and ensure that formal commitment is secured before the UN General Assembly convenes. Find out more here.
August 11, 2025
Budget 2026: Investing in Global Citizenship Education is Investing in Global Solidarity “Ireland has received international recognition for its development education strategies… Without additional investment, we cannot seize the opportunity to turn development-aware children into development-aware adults.” - OECD DAC Peer Review of Ireland Read IDEA’s full Pre-Budget 2026 submission here . For over half a century, Ireland has invested in Global Citizenship Education (GCE), enabling people across the island to explore complex issues such as climate justice, human rights, and equality - and to take informed action for a more just and sustainable world. Between 2021 and 2024, €33.6 million was invested in programmes reaching over 1.2 million people, helping to embed GCE across schools, communities, and other learning spaces. This investment has made Ireland a European and global leader in the field. But in today’s turbulent context - with rising disinformation, polarisation, climate emergencies, and deepening inequalities - the need for GCE has never been greater. As Minister of State for International Development and the Diaspora, Neale Richmond, told the IDEA Annual Conference in May 2025: “Now is the time to focus on the hard issues… These are among the greatest challenges of our time.” Why Now? Budget 2026 comes at a critical moment. Ireland is: Running out of time to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. Preparing a new national GCE strategy for the next five years. Operating in a global context where democratic values, human rights, and multilateral cooperation are under unprecedented strain. The OECD has commended Ireland’s strong GCE strategies but has also warned that without additional investment, we risk falling short on SDG Target 4.7 - ensuring all learners acquire the knowledge and skills to promote sustainable development. Our Key Budget 2026 Asks:  Increase investment in GCE Move towards the widely recognised target of 3% of Official Development Assistance (ODA), using a cross-departmental approach and accounting for inflation. Current spending is 1.2% of ODA - far below the €26 million annually needed to reach the 3% target. Boost GCE/ESD funding under “ESD to 2030” Provide adequate and dedicated funding for projects led by organisations, schools, and higher education institutions to ensure the successful delivery of the Second National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development. Create dedicated GCE/ESD funding lines Integrate and resource GCE/ESD within the SDG National Implementation Plan, Climate Action Plan, and National Action Plan Against Racism, recognising that climate justice and anti-racism are core components of global citizenship. Increase Ireland’s ODA Commit to a €300 million increase in Budget 2026 to make tangible progress towards the UN target of spending 0.7% of GNI on ODA by 2030. Adopt Coalition 2030 recommendations Implement budget measures that ensure resources reach those furthest behind first, and align budget lines with specific SDG targets. Beyond Funding – Policy Coherence and Decent Work In addition to resourcing, GCE requires stronger coordination across government departments and better integration into policies, institutions, and networks. GCE practitioners must also have secure, decent working conditions in line with SDG 8, ensuring that expertise is retained within the sector. The Opportunity for Ireland Ireland is respected globally for its principled, values-based approach to international development. By investing in GCE now, we can: Strengthen civic trust, participation, and resilience in our society. Equip citizens to navigate complex global challenges. Ensure Ireland remains a strong, independent voice for justice, solidarity, and human rights on the world stage. Budget 2026 is our opportunity to protect the progress made, scale up impact, and deliver on our commitments. IDEA and our members are ready to work with Irish Aid and across government to ensure Ireland continues to lead with integrity, foresight, and global solidarity. _______________________________________________________ Read IDEA’s full Pre-Budget 2026 submission here to explore our recommendations in detail and see how, together, we can strengthen Global Citizenship Education in Ireland and beyond.
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Catch-up on a Summer of Learning!