On May 16, the event will bring together teachers, experts, and institutions for a conference focused on the transformative role of rural schools under the slogan “BRILLA: Roots and Opportunities.”
The San Julián de Teruel Socio-Cultural Center will be the venue for the Third National Congress on Rural Schools, to be held on May 16 with the aim of reflecting on the present and future of education in rural areas. This was announced on Tuesday by the Director General of Personnel, Training, and Innovation of the Government of Aragon, José María Cabello, during the official presentation of the event.
Organized by the Department of Education, Culture, and Sports of the Government of Aragon, the congress will turn the capital of Teruel into the national epicenter of rural education debate for one day. Cabello stressed that education “must reach every corner of the Community, regardless of the size of the municipality,” and highlighted that the meeting will serve to “highlight the roots of the rural education system and project new opportunities for the territories.”
A day for sharing knowledge, experiences, and solutions
The conference will be opened by the Minister of Education, Culture, and Sport, Tomasa Hernández, together with the president of Ibercaja, Francisco Serrano, at an institutional event that will give way to an intense day of work with lectures, round tables, workshops, and presentations of innovative educational projects.
The first keynote speech will be given by Dr. Lourdes Alcalá Ibáñez, inspector and associate professor at the University of Zaragoza, who will address the challenges of the 21st century for rural schools and their role in territorial cohesion. Next, Alfredo Hernando, psychologist and founder of the Escuela 21 project, will offer an international perspective on educational innovation in rural areas in a presentation sponsored by the Vodafone Foundation.
Between the two presentations, the audience will enjoy a musical performance by the Teruel Conservatory of Music.
Spaces for dialogue and inspiration
The program will continue with a round table moderated by Estefanía Monforte, director of the Education and Territory Chair at the Teruel Provincial Council, with the participation of representatives from entities such as the Princess of Girona Foundation. Under the title “Spaces for challenges and solutions in rural schools,” the debate will focus on the possibilities of rural schools as agents of social and educational cohesion.
In the afternoon, the Congress will focus on the presentation of good practices developed in rural schools throughout Spain, in the section entitled “What stories of transformation are hidden in our rural schools.” Teachers and management teams from up to ten autonomous communities will participate, presenting experiences related to innovation, inclusion, heritage, sustainability, and the connection between schools and their local areas.
Confirmed proposals include initiatives such as the New Schools Network in Ireland, projects on coeducation, bilingualism, creative libraries, and models of cross-curricular learning linked to the environment in communities such as Galicia, Aragon, Cantabria, Valencia, Navarre, Andalusia, Castile and Leon, Madrid, Murcia, Extremadura, and La Rioja.
A closing ceremony with educational magic
The final touch will be provided by the communicator and teacher Miguel de Lucas, known for his program on La 2, “Un país mágico” (A Magical Country). In his presentation-show entitled “Teacher, there is a magician in you”, De Lucas will combine pedagogy, motivation, and humor to remind us that true educational transformation comes from people, not tricks.
A conference with a national vocation and a local perspective
During the presentation, Cabello highlighted that one of the main objectives of the conference is to analyze the historical trajectory and challenges of rural schools in Spain, as well as to learn from international experiences and promote collaboration between professionals, administrations, and educational entities.
The choice of Teruel as the venue was not accidental. “It is one of the areas most affected by depopulation in Spain, and therefore a symbolically powerful place to vindicate the backbone role of rural education,” he said.
The Congress is supported by entities such as the Teruel City Council, the Provincial Council, the Teruel Chamber of Commerce, the Vodafone Foundation, the Princess of Girona Foundation, and the Edelvives Foundation.
Registration to attend the congress is open until May 8 through the Doceo platform.
