Item VII - The Content and Delivery of the Curriculum A number of Experts made presentations regarding Item VII 11. Issues for presentation and discussion included the following: the development of curricula relating to minorities; inclusion of the histories, cultures and traditions of minorities in the general compulsory curriculum; and opportunities for members of the general population to learn minority languages. The floor was then opened to all participants. Dr. Bernard Gifford, Professor and Distinguished Resident Fellow, Southern Education Foundation, USA made suggestions with respect to Draft Recommendations 53-60 on the Content and Delivery of the Curriculum. In particular, Dr. Gifford suggested that the use of easy navigable digital video, distributable over the Internet, would make education available to everyone. Moreover, the availability of education in this format would reduce the importance of textual accounts, while also giving those creating and using these tools to retrieve and re-interpret their significance continuously. Ms. Mucha Shim Quiling Arquiza, Secretary General, Qalam, Asian Muslim Action Muslim Network in the Philippines (AMANPHIL), Philippines addressed the content and delivery of the curriculum. She recommended that the Draft Recommendations emphasize in stronger, more succinct terms, demanding the political will of the State to implement to the fullest its commitment to the right to education of minorities as linked to the right to self determination. Mr. Marius Taba of the Roma Education Fund, Hungary made suggestions with respect to Draft Recommendations 19, 25, 26, 31, 46, 16, 17, 20, 36, 37, 39 and 51. For example, Mr. Taba suggested that the recommendations should include clear mechanisms for recourse and information dissemination. Mr. Lal Perera, Director-General, National Institute of Education, Sri Lanka addressed the issues of mother tongue education and made suggestions with respect to section 7 of the Draft Recommendations. He proposed several additional recommendations: § Implementation of second national language programmes, as appropriate, § Establishment of open education opportunities to provide for vulnerable groups including minorities, § Educational exchange programmes among children who belong to all communities in order to promote understanding and ethnic and cultural harmony in multi-ethnic and multi-religious societies. Mr. Leonardo Reales, Coordinator of the International Human Rights Committee, AfroColombian National Movement CIMARRON, Colombia / USA addressed the issues of quality access to education, the content and delivery of the curriculum and affirmative action measures. He noted that the expertise and knowledge of leaders and civil society must be utilized when designing the curriculum in question. The curriculum should 11 The full text of the Experts’ presentations is available on the forum’s web site at: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/minority/oral_statements_forum_minority_2008.htm 16