Freinet International
The FIMEM
The international umbrella organization of the Freinet movement
FIMEM(Féderation Internationaledes Mouvementsd’Ecole Moderne) is an association of Freinet pedagogical groups and movements around the world. It is committed to a pedagogy that is consistently based on the child.
FIMEM aims to further develop international cooperation in order to promote the practice of Freinet pedagogy on all continents. It sees educators and teachers as advocates for children and young people to learn and live children’s rights and democracy.
FIMEM works with a Board of Directors that is elected every two years by the delegates of the movements during the General Assembly at RIDEF. There are also 14 commissions that work together online and in presence during the meetings, e.g. for equality, sustainability, children’s rights, statutes, charter, preparation of the meetings. These commissions are open to anyone who is a member of a Freinet movement and wants to work internationally.
FIMEM (= International Federation of Modern School Movements) adopts the “Modern School Charter” (developed in 1968 / revised in 2010) as a declaration of principles for its worldwide educational work.
The RIDEF
(Rencontre Internationale Des Educateurs Freinet)
How the international meetings are organized
Since 1968, Freinet educators have been organizing international meetings for their own continuing education and to further develop Freinet pedagogy together. Educators, teachers, university lecturers and adult educators who work with Freinet pedagogy in their institutions all over the world meet here to exchange ideas and critically reflect on their own practice. People from all over the world meet and work together in short and long workshops on topics such as democracy, educational justice and free expression. The encounters are colorful and diverse. Anyone can offer long or short workshops. Intercultural evenings and excursions broaden the program and the participants’ perspective. The work of the umbrella organization FIMEM can also be experienced and shaped in person.
The goals
Why the RIDEF are highly topical in terms of education policy
The RIDEF aim to provide in-depth knowledge of education and upbringing from an intercultural perspective. Freinet pedagogy has its roots in the criticism of inhuman social conditions.
In international cooperation, Freinet educators are committed to a democratic society, especially in terms of democracy as a way of life.
RIDEFs are a special form of future workshops. The participants combine the vision of a desirable future with the vision of living learning.
Ideas are often taken out into the world, techniques are further developed and disseminated, sometimes in a very practical way, when materials are developed, worked on and built in workshops, which can then simply be taken back home to school. In this way, the diversity of learning becomes greater and more international. This is often exciting for the learners.
The charter
A revised version of the “Charter of the Modern School (FIMEM)” was drawn up at the RIDEF in Nantes in 2010. This charter is based on the original version from 1968 on the “Modern School”. The original French version can be viewed in full at: http://www.fimem-freinet.org/de/node/856
These ten headings define the current, internationally recognized principles of Freinet pedagogy.
Following the revision of the rules of procedure and statutes by FIMEM Commission V, the result of which was adopted in Oaxaca in 2024, Commission V is now updating the charter. You are welcome to join in.
Charter of the Ecole Moderne
- Education is a fundamental right.
- For us, education means experimentation and active participation in social life and the constant practice of democracy.
- The relationship between education and the socio-political context.
- A school of work
- Building the children’s autonomy and personality at the center of the educational relationship.
- Educational experience building as a condition for a modern and cooperative school.
- The educators are conscious actors in the pedagogical proposal for a Modern School.
- The movements of the Ecole Moderne (FIMEM) promote cooperation with organizations and movements that pursue the same goals.
- The Ecole Moderne movements promote debate and cooperation with regional institutions.
- The Ecole Modern movements promote the development of an international pedagogy.
The places
Who is taking part and where there have already been RIDEFs
Today, educators in more than 35 countries around the world work in the tradition of Célestin and Élise Freinet. There are active Freinet movements in many countries.
RIDEFS have been taking place in France since 1968. Many locations in Europe, Africa, South America and Asia can be found on the FIMEM website. They are currently organized every two years by FIMEM and the Freinet movement of the host country.
You can always find invitations to the RIDEFS on the FIMEM homepage and in the calendar of events here.
The next RIDEF will take place near Gdansk, Poland from 31.7.-8.8.2026. Further information will be published soon in the event calendar.
Our reports
A report on Dörte Rieck ‘s experiences at RIDEF in Oaxaca was published in our association magazine Questions and Experiments was printed.
Click here to download the report:
As a member, you can find further reports on previous RIDEFs in our internal area.
A film report: Freinet & Summerhill – Where are we going, what have we achieved in 100 years?
Further international cooperations
Summerhill
The international Summerhill Festival of Childhood 2022
In the summer of 2022, Summerhill School in Leiston in Suffolk in the south-west of England celebrated its 100th anniversary. To mark the occasion, the Freinet Educational Cooperative sent a message of greeting. Two board members and several interested parents visited the Summerhill Festival of Childhood from August 5 to 10, 2022.
We had already taken part in an online congress in 2021, the actual anniversary year. This brought us into direct contact with Zoe and Henry Readhead, the daughter and grandson of Summerhill and Freinet pedagogy. This prompted us to seek to work together and stay in contact. We hope that this will lead to further development on both sides and many constructive ideas. We are looking forward to this.
You can find more information about the current events at the Summerhill Festival at: https://www.innerwest.nsw.gov.au/explore/whats-on/events-in-detail/summer-hill-festival
Continue meeting...
Biennial meeting of people from different pedagogical professions in France or Belgium
Swiss Conference – Meeting of the Swiss Freinet Movement – FGS- Freinet- Group – Switzerland
French meetings – Invitation of the ICEM
Austrian meetings – Cooperative Freinet Austria
Your perspectives
How you too can get involved and shape collaboration
Do you want to play on the international stage, but don’t know how? It’s very simple: become a member of our association. Not only will you receive our association magazine every three months, but you can also get a taste of various working groups and help shape them, e.g. the International Working Group, which meets regularly online. The dates and the link can be found in the calendar of events. There you can find out more about international cooperation during and between RIDEFs.
We are your contact persons: Gitta Kovermann, Dörte Rieck
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