Palau to host 17th PREL Conference
Educators from the Pacific region and around the world are currently making their plans to attend the 17th Annual Pacific Educational Conference (PEC) from July 24 to July 28, 2000.
This year’s conference, “Pacific Communities: Lifelong Learners,” will be held on Koror in the Republic of Palau and is co-sponsored by Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL), the Republic of Palau Ministry of Education, and Palau Community College.
The conference has hosted over 1,000 attendees annually in recent years, making it one of the largest educational events in the Pacific. Each year, Pacific educators lead the majority of conference workshops.
During this year’s conference, attendees will be able to choose from over 100 different workshops. In addition, six pre-conference institutes will be offered on July 24, 2000. For the sixth time, the Close Up Foundation will host a student forum, giving Pacific youth the opportunity to participate in conference activities and other educational experiences.
PREL president and CEO John Kofel said, “The PEC annual conference is an opportunity for Pacific educators to gather and enjoy each other’s knowledge and cultures. Our common goal is to improve educational opportunities for all children throughout the Pacific.”
The primary emphasis of the PEC is for Pacific educators to learn from each other’s experiences and forge lasting professional and personal relationships. A strong conference tradition is the sharing of song, dance, stories, and gifts, expanding the educational opportunities into the realm of cultural understanding. Special cultural presentations performed by delegations from various entities are a conference highlight.
Delegations are expected from American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia (Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, Yap), Guam, Hawai’i, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau, and other Pacific Islands.
The conference fee is $80 for those who register by the pre-registration deadline on May 22, 2000. After May 22, the fee is $100. Pre-conference institutes cost an additional $30.
Deadline for submission of workshop proposal is March 17, 2000.
For information about registration, presentation and display of educational materials at the conference, please visit the PREL web page at http://www.prel.org. Questions and correspondence can be sent to the PEC 2000 Organizing Committee:
P.O. Box 1346, Koror, RP 96940
Tel: 680-488-1003/2570/2547
Fax: 680-488-2830 E-mail: emesiocm@palau.net
