Recently, supported by Beijing Normal University and Thailand Mahidol University, INRULED, Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia of Mahidol University, UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning(UIL) co-hosted the "Lancang River-Mekong Ethnic Minority Life-Long Learning Research Project and International Seminar on Education for Ethnic Groups" in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand. More than 20 experts and scholars from five countries, including Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, China, Malaysia and the Philippines, shared and exchanged views on national minority education policies, research projects and practical experiences.
Under the theme of "Education for Ethnic Groups" and within the framework of "Research on Education for Ethnic Minorities in the Lancang-Mekong Region", this symposium explores the policy environment, knowledge base and capacity literacy that countries need to build in order to achieve the 2030 Education Agenda for inclusive, equitable and quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all.
In order to gain a better understanding of the education and cultural preservation of ethnic minorities in Thailand, the participants went on a field trip to Lopburi, visited the local Thai Bueng Ethnic Minority Cultural Village, and conducted in-depth exchanges with the village committee members and local residents to understand the development status of this minority group from the perspectives of environmental protection, cultural education, economic development and other aspects.
On the basis of seminars and field trips, the research project group held a workshop on "Lifelong Learning for Ethnic Minorities in Lancang-Mekong Region" to summarize the progress of the research project on lifelong learning for ethnic minorities in Lancang-Mekong countries and arrange the next steps to ensure a smooth conclusion of the project this year. The results report is published jointly with UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning(UIL).