The 78th OMEP World Assembly and World Conference will take place in Poznań, Poland, from 13 to 18 July 2026, under the theme “When a Child Speaks… Korczak’s Inspirations for Education and Children’s Rights.”
The decision to host the event in Poland — the homeland of Janusz Korczak, one of the greatest pioneers of child-centered education and a forerunner of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) — carries profound historical and ethical significance. His humanist vision continues to illuminate the work of educators and advocates worldwide. Korczak saw the child not as a future citizen, but as a person here and now — capable, thinking, feeling, and deserving of respect. He insisted that every child has the right to be heard, to participate, and to be treated with dignity.
Today, his message resonates with renewed urgency. The world is facing multiple and interconnected crises: wars and forced displacement, economic and social inequalities, threats to democracy, ecological degradation, and the rapid transformation of digital cultures. In this context, Korczak’s ideas remind us that education must nurture humanity, empathy, and justice, building societies based on peace, solidarity, and sustainability.
The Poznań Conference will build on the legacy of the 77th OMEP World Assembly and Conference held in Bologna in 2025, which explored “Arts and Cultures in Early Childhood Education: Play, Expression, Participation.” While Bologna celebrated creativity and the arts as pathways for learning and participation, Poznań will move this reflection forward by focusing on voice, agency, and rights — listening to the child as a subject of education and an agent of change.
The event will also contribute to the final years of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and particularly to Target 4.2, which calls for inclusive, equitable, and quality early childhood care and education for all girls and boys. It will also reaffirm the commitments made in the Tashkent Declaration and Commitments for Action (UNESCO, 2022) and link to the UNESCO Recommendation on Education for Peace, Human Rights, and Sustainable Development (2023).
By revisiting Korczak’s legacy in the 21st century, the Conference aims to inspire educators, policymakers, and researchers to reaffirm their ethical and pedagogical responsibilities and to reimagine early childhood education and care (ECCE) as a cornerstone of justice, peace, and sustainability.
The 78th OMEP World Assembly and World Conference 2026 will:
The title “When a Child Speaks…” is both a metaphor and a political statement. It invites us to listen — not as an act of kindness, but as an ethical and democratic duty. Korczak taught that children’s words, questions, and silences reveal their understanding of the world and their right to influence it.
The Conference will explore how this philosophy can inspire educational theory and practice today, focusing on seven interrelated thematic axes:
1. The Child as a Subject of Rights and Voice
Listening to children as citizens of the present. How can educational systems and institutions ensure meaningful participation and create spaces where children’s voices are valued and acted upon?
2. Education with Empathy and Without Fear
Korczak rejected punishment and humiliation, promoting trust, kindness, and dialogue. This theme explores pedagogies grounded in empathy, care, and emotional safety as foundations for learning and well-being.
3. Play, Creativity, and Expression
Play is a child’s language and a fundamental right. Sessions under this theme will examine play, imagination, and creativity as central to learning and development, connected to arts, culture, and innovation.
4. Equality, Justice, and Dignity
Korczak’s pedagogical ethics were rooted in social justice. How can early education address inequalities of gender, culture, class, or ability, and promote fairness, respect, and inclusion from the earliest years?
5. Education for Sustainability and Peace
Korczak’s moral courage inspires education that nurtures responsibility for others and for the planet. This axis will link ECCE to environmental awareness, sustainable living, and the culture of peace.
6. Families, Communities, and Shared Responsibility
Education must involve all those who care for and about children. This theme explores partnerships with families, intergenerational learning, and community engagement as essential components of ECCE.
7. Teachers as Human Rights Defenders
Teachers and caregivers are the living link between values and practice. Their role as mentors, advocates, and ethical leaders will be highlighted, emphasizing professional development and recognition.
These themes will guide the plenary sessions, parallel presentations, workshops, and poster sessions, allowing participants to connect theory, research, and daily educational practice.
The Conference will combine symbolic, academic, and organizational dimensions, offering participants a full and meaningful experience.
Pre-Assembly Event – “Korczak Forest” (Treblinka, 13 July 2026) ONLY FOR MEMBERS
This unique event will honor the memory of Janusz Korczak, his collaborators, and the children who perished during the Holocaust. Participants will visit the Treblinka Museum and take part in the planting of trees in the “Korczak Forest”, each representing an OMEP National Committee and bearing a plaque with a Korczak quotation. This collective act of remembrance will symbolize life, renewal, and OMEP’s enduring commitment to peace, human rights, and the dignity of every child. Internal registration until February 28, 2026
World Assembly (Poznań, 14–15 July 2026) ONLY FOR OMEP MEMBERS
OMEP’s highest decision-making body will meet in the Aula of Adam Mickiewicz University to review reports, discuss strategic directions, and take decisions regarding governance, partnerships, and the organization’s future work.
World Conference (Poznań, 16–18 July 2026)
The Conference will include:
The event will conclude with the Poznań Declaration 2026, a collective statement reaffirming OMEP’s commitments to children’s rights, inclusion, sustainability, and peace.
The 2026 OMEP World Assembly and Conference is expected to:
The event will be organized by the Polish OMEP Committee and the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań (Faculty of Educational Studies), in collaboration with the Treblinka Museum, the International Janusz Korczak Association and the Polish Janusz Korczak Association, and under the guidance of the OMEP World Executive Committee and Scientific Board.
The scientific patronages for the Conference were held by: Her Magnificence, the Rector of Adam Mickiewicz University, prof. dr hab. Bogumiła Kaniewska, and the Dean of the Faculty of Educational Studies at Adam Mickiewicz University, prof. UAM dr hab. Waldemar Segiet.
International partners include UNESCO, UNICEF, universities, research centers, and civil society organizations dedicated to education and children’s rights.
The 78th OMEP World Assembly and Conference will be a space for reflection, learning, and collective commitment. It will honor the memory of Janusz Korczak and translate his humanist ideals into contemporary action — through pedagogy, advocacy, and global solidarity.
At a time when children’s voices are too often unheard, the Conference will remind the world that listening to children is the first step toward peace, democracy, and justice.
“When a child speaks, the world should listen — not only to understand their words, but to imagine a better future with them.”
Contact:
OMEP WAC 2026 Secretariat omep2026@ppnt.poznan.pl
Polish OMEP Committee: info@omep.org.pl