World Federation of Teachers' Unions

The FISE was founded in Paris in July 1946 as a merger of the International Trade Secretariat of Teachers and l’Internationale des Travailleurs de l’Enseignement (ITE), with the participation of the American Education Association.[1] In 1951 a group of unions split off and founded the International Federation of Free Teachers Unions.[2]

During the 1980s it cooperated with the International Federation of Teachers Unions (then affiliated with the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions), the World Federation of Educators (affiliated with the World Confederation of Labour) and the World Federation of Organizations of the Teaching Profession.[3]

FISE is an organization with consultative status with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).[4] It has had its position within UNESCO since at least 1985.[5]

FISE takes actively part in the Worker’s Group of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), as well as in conferences of all of the above international organisations. During the previous period it actively participated in most activities of the WFTU and took initiatives which strengthened the renown and the strength of the organisation. In 2013 it organized an international conference in Brussels on “the role of teachers today, today’s school, public education, democracy in education” and published a book with the proceedings. It held meetings with trade unionists teachers from different countries and unions: Cuba, Germany, Egypt, Palestine, Greece, Italy, Mexico, etc. FISE publishes every year announcements and posters useful for every trade union, concerning the International Workers’ May Day (May 1), the International Teachers Day, the International Women's Day (March 8), the Day of the Anti-fascist Victory of Peoples (May 9), the day against violence towards women, against child labour, for the refugees, the xenophobia and racism, and other relevant topics or subjects of commemoration. It particularly focuses on the expression of concrete solidarity. It denounced the killings and police attacks against the Mexican teachers. One of the most important actions that FISE undertook in Greece was the solidarity campaign for the children of Palestine, entitled "a notebook for GAZA". Many students, parents, parents' associations, cultural associations, women's associations, responded to the invitation of FISE and gathered materials. They organized theatrical performances in which the ticket was two notebooks or other school supplies. Discussions have been held by teachers to students on the situation in Palestine. Painting exhibitions on the Palestinian matter were organised, as well as other initiatives, too. [6] In 2017 FISE also launched a support campaign for Yemeni children [7] and protests against the war in Yemen.[8]

The organizations highest organ is the Statutory Conference, formerly called the World Conference of Teachers. Originally annual events, they were held at irregular intervals in the 1950s and now are constitutionally mandated to be held every four years.[9][10] Between meetings of this conference the organization is headed by an Administrative Committee which meets at least once a year.[11][12] Day to operations are directed by a Bureau which consists of the General Secretary, President, Vice-President and Secretariat, who are ex-officio members of the Administrative Committee.[13]

FISE was originally headquartered in Paris but was expelled in 1952 for "fifth column activities". It then moved to the Soviet sector of Vienna, but was expelled, again, in February 1956. The location of the headquarters immediately after the expulsion from Vienna is unclear, though FISEs' journal Teachers of the World was published from 10 Rue de Solférino, Paris 7ème.[14] In 1978 its headquarters is reported at Wilhelm Wolff Strasse 21, East Berlin 111.[15] It was at the same address in 1985.[16] Its current headquarters is at 6/6 Kalicharan Ghosh Road, 700 050, Kolkata, India.[17] After the 18th Congress of FISE is currently located in Mexico.[18]

In August 1956 FISE was reported to have seven million members in 34 countries.[24] By the 1978 this had grown to over 16 million in 74 organizations in 50 countries.[25] In 1985 the group claimed 20 million members in 121 organizations in 82 countries.[26] As of 2009 FISE claimed over 26 million members within 156 trade unions in 40 countries including France, Greece, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Congo, Ethiopia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Morocco, Mozambique, Senegal, Togo, Argentina, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Bangladesh, China, India, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Nepal, Pakistan, Palestinian territories, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Syrian Arab Republic, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, and Yemen.[27]

The FISE published a quarterly Teachers of the World in English, French and German with "separate" Latin American Spanish and Japanese editions. By the 1980s this publication carried a "pedagogical supplement" financed by UNESCO.[32][33] Another bulletin was published 8 times a year and was variously called Educators International Courier or International Teachers News. It was published in English, French, Spanish, German, Russian, Portuguese and Arabic.[34]

FISE still publishes Teachers of the World quarterly in English as well as the FISE Information Letter eight times a year in French, English, Spanish, Russian, German, Portuguese, Arabic.[35]

FISE also submitted a nomination for the 2018 edition of the UNESCO Prize for Girls’ and Women’s Education (GWE) to UNESCO.[36]

• Education International