The Slovak Republic, in its endorsement, highlights that “The Slovak Presidency of the Council of the EU prioritized promoting and strengthening of the crucial role that education has to play in humanitarian operations. (…) With this endorsement, we express our political commitment to advance the principles of the Safe Schools Declaration, including the use of the Guidelines”.
Since the Safe Schools Declaration was adopted Oslo in May 2015 and immediately endorsed by 37 states, an additional 20 states have joined, thereby committing to work together to strengthen the protection of educational facilities, their students, and staff from attack. The latest endorsement by the Slovak Republic demonstrates the continued relevance and importance of the Declaration as a tool to strengthen the protection of education during armed conflict. The full list of endorsing states is available here: https://www.regjeringen.no/en/topics/foreign-affairs/development-cooperation/protecting-education-endorsed/id2460245/
All States are invited to the upcoming Second Conference of Safe Schools which will be hosted by Argentina in Buenos Aires 28-29 March 2017. More information will follow.