Messages from EECERA President and the Conference Chair

Welcome to EECERA 2026

It is my honour and pleasure to welcome you dear colleagues, to our EECERA Conference in Madeira. Looking across the final published conference programme, I am excited by the wealth of knowledge that will shared, particularly that which promotes children’s and teacher’s rights to quality learning and participatory experiences. This reflects the ethos of our Association – the democratic sharing of knowledge, ethics and praxis for the development of children’s and teacher’s wisdom, and I personally believe that democratic sustainability will be achieved for generations to come by children who have had the time and space for rich conversations that showed them that their voices matter. With that in mind, this outstanding conference programme provides the space and place for our democratic dialogues to start.

Julia Formosinho, EECERA 2026 Conference Co-Chair

President’s Letter to Conference: August 2026

Dear EECERA conference delegates,

I’m eagerly counting down the days until the end of August, when our inspiring EECERA research community will come together once again in person, this time on the beautiful island of Madeira, for our 34th Annual Conference. This year’s compelling theme, The Development of Agency, Participation and Democracy in the Digital Age, recognises that children are not passive recipients of knowledge but are active participants in shaping their own learning and social worlds and their capacity to exercise agency — to make choices, express their perspectives, and take action — and this must be nurtured through intentional and ethical educational practices. This aspiration is also embedded in our intentions for you as conference delegates and we hope it will shape our conversations and collaborations during the days we spend together and beyond.

Last year’s conference in Bratislava, Slovakia was an unforgettable experience, and I’m once again looking forward to the creative, curious, and spirited exchanges we will share. This year’s gathering promises to be another large and vibrant event, welcoming several hundred colleagues from across the world. I’m excited about the opportunity to (re)connect with fellow EECERA members and supporters – both familiar faces and new ones – as our international network continues to grow.

In a world facing relentless global and local challenges – ranging from climate change, the surge in AI and digital technologies, large-scale population displacements, and tragically, the ongoing and escalating conflicts in Europe and beyond – our time together feels increasingly precious. In these times it is more important than ever to state that EECERA unequivocally promotes and defends the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The scale and speed of these crises make the need for action on behalf of children more pressing than ever for us as early childhood educators, advocates and activists.

Our work is now set in a time of extraordinary poly-crises. We are living through a period of historic changes and accelerating conflicts which have upended previously stable systems of governance and life, creating enormous demands on, and deep concerns for, the health and wellbeing of individuals, communities and societies. For us at EECERA, at the centre of these concerns are the wellbeing and life chances of children.  It is children who we know suffer most in these difficult times and for whom we need to speak out in ever stronger terms to those who deny their human rights and inflict inhumane suffering. It is a time for all of us to re-think and re-state the mission and functioning of our democratically committed Association to make it more effective and active in responding to these challenges which are re-shaping many aspects of contemporary life.

We are working to ensure that EECERA adjusts to this changed world and in doing so I believe our dialogues at conference and through all EECERA networking can play an active and visionary part in creating what comes next. I am hoping that each of you will work together in the spirit of mutuality to look deep and hard at EECERA’s reframed mission, aims and principles and consider how we might more actively contribute to creating a world which enables all children to thrive and flourish wherever they are growing up. This is the vital work for us all at conference this year.

I am aware that being able to rise to this challenge will require each of us at conference to interact in ways that embody generosity, solidarity, collective action, meaningful partnerships, and, above all, open and honest critical dialogue. We believe that critical thinking, rigorous dialogue, and collaborative research – across all boundaries – are essential if we are to meet these global challenges and work toward a more peaceful and sustainable world. It is important to remind ourselves that together we create a context for dialogue, debate, passion, knowledge generation and positive action which holds early childhood policy, practice and research together in a synergetic relationship. These relationships allow us, in all of our individual societal locations, to view the future with a determination to continue to make progress in developing high-quality provision and programmes for our youngest children and their families which promote children’s rights and agency. In this time of clear threats to our democratic beliefs and continued economic uncertainty, our passion, shared intelligence, and collaborative intent becomes even more important.

Building on this commitment, on behalf of EECERA, I want to particularly extend our solidarity and support to all our colleagues – scholars, educators, and students – who are affected by conflict and endure the daily realities of such tragedies. I am always very aware of the voices of our conference colleagues, but we also need to acknowledge the many voices who are not able to be present but also have the right to be heard. We should recognize the deep impact these events have on young children’s lives, and this shared understanding unites us.

In accordance with national and international academic guidance, our top priority is to ensure that the conference is a safe and welcoming environment for all participants. We are committed to doing everything within our power to prevent hate crimes, antisemitism, Islamophobia, and all forms of intolerance. We also stand ready to support any colleagues in addressing such incidents should they arise. Upholding our strong commitment to freedom of speech – even in these extremely challenging times – EECERA seeks to foster respectful and lawful dialogue on difficult and sensitive topics. We must firmly state that any form of discrimination or intimidation directed at EECERA delegates is entirely unacceptable. We encourage anyone experiencing antisemitism, Islamophobia, harassment, or any form of discrimination during the conference to report it to the EECERA Board of Trustees or the Conference organisers and seek support without hesitation.

This letter is a signal of the concrete steps we are taking at conference to prevent intolerance and promote good relations between different groups within our EECERA community and beyond. We are working hard to develop a welcoming culture where positive and respectful relationships between diverse groups and individuals enhance the learning experience, protect freedom of speech and academic freedoms, tackle harassment, and contribute to an inclusive society. The following five key principles, based on guidance produced by the UK Commission for Racial Equality, provide a useful framework for understanding and creating good relations in academic gatherings:

1. Equality, acting swiftly and decisively to challenge discrimination, harassment and bullying in all its manifestations when violations occur.

2.  Respect, balancing free speech with mutual regard, framing the right to self-expression and free speech within the context of respect for others; encouraging dialogue about the issues that connect and divide individuals and communities, discussing prejudice; challenging preconceptions and assumptions and actively questioning personal biases.

3. Security, creating a safe environment for all delegates which ensures physical and psychological safety for all participants so they are free from intimidation, harassment and fear; tackling hate crime and speech; challenging views that promote violence or otherwise deny human rights.

4. Unity, bridging divides through shared experiences, providing opportunities to learn about difference and identify common ground; promoting the benefits of developing knowledge and skills that improve personal and communal relationships, cultivating strong communal bonds

5. Cooperation, taking a proactive approach to conflict resolution that is fair, equitable, consistent and transparent.

As we come together in Madeira, we trust that our community of international scholars will embody these five principles, demonstrating our shared commitment to fostering positive, constructive, and respectful dialogue. I firmly believe that we can – and must – make a heartfelt and collective effort to warmly welcome all EECERA colleagues who have bravely travelled from conflict-affected or vulnerable communities, often facing considerable personal challenges. Together, we can ensure that their experience at the conference is one of safety, support, and genuine inclusion.

I am truly looking forward to reconnecting with you all in late August, and I hope the conference offers each of us a meaningful, enriching, and inspiring experience.

Warmest

Chris

Professor Chris Pascal, EECERA President

On behalf of the EECERA Board of Trustees