International Child Care Organizations
Organisation Mondiale pour l'Education Préscolaire
Organizacíon Mundial para la Educacíon Preescolar
...is the only world-wide non-governmental organization (NGO) that focuses on young children, ages 0-8.
OMEP has a National Committee in over 60 countries around the world with close ties to UNICEF, UNESCO and the Council of Europe. OMEP-USA shares goals for furthering children’s rights and welfare with partnering professional organizations including IPA (International Play Association), ACEI (Association for Childhood Education International), NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) and the World Forum Foundation. The International Journal of Early Childhood is a US National Committee membership benefit (2 issues/year). The World Assembly of OMEP is held every third year with regional seminars in other years. OMEP-USA holds its annual membership meeting in conjunction with the NAEYC Annual Conference.
Information regarding the US National Committee of OMEP, also known as OMEP-USA, and membership, may be found at www.omep-usnc.org or www.omep-usa.org. For information about World OMEP, visit http://www.omep.org.gu.se/English.
Purpose of OMEP
OMEP-USA, the US National Committee, publishes a newsletter three times a year, which goes to all USNC members and to the leaders of other OMEP National Committees. The USNC annual membership meeting takes place at the NAEYC Annual Conference. Meetings are held at other conferences, including ACEI, SECA and many regional and state conferences. The USNC is divided into eight geographical regions. The Governing Board includes the USNC officers and Regional Representatives from the 8 regions.
OMEP's objective is to use every possible means to promote the optimum conditions for the well-being of all children, their development and happiness within their families, institutions, and society. To this end, OMEP assists any undertaking to improve early childhood education, and supports scientific research that can influence these conditions. The USNC also works to educate its members and the public about issues relating to young children throughout the world.
The History of OMEP
After World War II, a strong humanitarian concern led a small group of educators and others concerned for the welfare of young children to seek a way to engage others committed to these aims.
In 1946 Lady Allen of Hurtwood (UK) and Alva Myrdal (Sweden), with others from France, Denmark, and Norway, presented their plan for the creation of a world organization. The UNESCO Assembly in Paris greeted the plan with warm support, and the founders invited representatives of 19 countries from 5 continents to a World Conference on Early Childhood Education in Prague in 1948. At that Conference, OMEP was born and Alva Myrdal was elected its first World President. The new organization was recognized then, as it is now, as the principal mechanism to bring together people from all over the world, without any criteria other than an objective to share information and initiate actions to benefit young children everywhere.
The second World Assembly, in 1949, drew representatives from 33 countries, and the third, in 1950, was attended by observers from the major intergovernmental agencies with related interests: UNESCO, UNICEF, and WHO.
Since then, triennial World Assemblies of OMEP have been held in: Mexico City, 1952; Copenhagen, 1954; Athens, 1956; Brussels, 1958; Zagreb, 1960; London, 1962; Stockholm, 1964; Paris, 1966; Washington, DC, 1968; Bonn, 1971; Caracas, 1974; Warsaw, 1977; Quebec, 1980; Geneva, 1983; Jerusalem, 1986; London, 1989; Flagstaff, Arizona 1992; Yokohama, 1995; Copenhagen, 1998; Santiago, Chile in 2001; Havana, Cuba, in 2005; Troms¢, Norway, in 2006; Mexico City, Mexico, in 2007. The Regional Conference for the Asia Pacific Region is in Bangkok, Thailand, November 21-24, 2008. The next OMEP World Assembly and Seminar will take place in Quebec, Canada on August 6-8, 2008, conference theme Nurturing Peace Together With Children. Upcoming World Assembly sites are: Nigeria in 2009; Gothenburg, Sweden, August 10-13, 2010; World Congress theme Children - Citizen in the Challenging World. For information, go to http://omep2010.org.
World Congress
Children's Rights
- UNICEF Photo Essay - The Rights of Children
- Understanding the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child
- U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child
- U.N. Convention on the Rights fo the Child Explanation
- Children's Rights Convention (CRC) - 2009 Symposium
- Children's Rights Convention (CRC) - Myths and Facts
- CRC Poster in Child-Friendly Language
- Joint Statement on the CRC from ACEI and OMEP-USNC
OMEP-USA Children's Day November 20
- Children's Day Activity Packet - Nov. 20, 2009
- Children's Day Activity Packet - Nov. 20, 2008
- Children's Day Activity Packet - Nov. 20, 2005
- Children's Day Activity Packet - Nov. 20, 2004
- Children's Day Activity Packet - Nov. 20, 2003
- Children's Day Song
- Children's Day Poster - 2008
- Children's Day Poster
OMEP-USA National Newsletter
- Summer 2009
- Winter 2008 (With membership brochure)
- Fall 2007
- Fall 2006
- Winter 2006
- Fall 2005
- Summer 2005
- Winter 2005
- Fall 2004
OMEP-USA News in Brief
- OMEP NewsBrief - November, 2009
- OMEP NewsBrief - October, 2009
- OMEP NewsBrief - September, 2009
- OMEP NewsBrief - January, 2009
- OMEP NewsBrief - October, 2008
Poster Session
- Poster - Proposal Worksheet for Student Chapters
- Call for Proposals - 2010
- Poster Session Booklet - 2009
- Poster Session Booklet - 2008
Organization:
- Board Responsibilities
- Description: Position Expectations of Regional Representative
- OMEP-USA Spring Board Meeting at ACEI
- OMEP-USA Membership Form - 2010
- OMEP-US National Committee Board Members - 2010
- OMEP-US Agenda - 2009
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