From 25 to 29 October 2021, a major event in the history of our Institute took place: the launch of the Marist Global Network of Schools.

The Marist Global Network of Schools is a project of the General Council of the Institute of the Marist Brothers in response to the calls of the XXII General Chapter, which called for us to be a global family. It will be a place of promotion for the Marist mission that is carried out in more than 600 schools in 80 countries.

The Marist Global Network of Schools it has grown in recent months thanks to the collaboration of a team that is working assiduously on its implementation and the time has come for its launch, which consisted of two events worldwide: a Summit reserved for invited people; and a series of three video episodes open to all.

In parallel with the online meetings, which were attended by around 500 participants, three video episodes were presented that were seen by almost 3,000 people. If you couldn't see them, you can see them here:

The origin of the network

"Let's walk as a global family," became the title of the message of the last general chapter that took place in Colombia, in 2017. Those who represented us in this important call, expressed:

For the vitality and viability of marist mission and life today, we are called to be a global family. Interdependence, rather than isolation or independence, must be the new normal for us.

In response to this call, and in order to give concrete expression to this message, the General Council took the decision to promote the project of launching an international network of schools that favor the strengthening of the Marist educational mission. Accompanied by the General Council, this great challenge has been entrusted to the Secretariat of Education and Evangelization.

Since its foundation, the Marist educational work has been spreading throughout the 5 continents, throughout about 80 countries, forming a map of of 600 schools which are served by more than 70,000 educators and support personnel.

Since the beginning, the project has been proposed with a collaborative, co-creative methodology that guarantees empathy and takes advantage of the capacities and wealth of all the members involved in the Marist educational task.

On May 2019, a team was summoned, representative of the different regions of the Institute that projected the bases and design of the launching project of the Global Marist Network of Schools.

One of the first activities that this team developed was to carry out a global consultation that would allow us to probe the sentiment regarding the network proposal:

The survey included 15,956 members made up of principals, teachers, administrators, students, and families from 58 different countries.

In short, the survey responded to three main questions, whose answers are summarized below.

How could a global network improve your school?

• Strengthen the Marist brand and increase the feeling of belonging
• Share resources, good practices, training.
• Standardize Marist formation for teachers
• Become aware of the rest of the world

What would the best possible network look like?

• Exchanges for students and teachers
• Share experiences and resources
• Communication and interaction through a platform.

What are the expectations and feelings regarding the network?

• Participation of all members. Accessible to all
• It shouldn't create more work for teachers
• Homogenize taking into account the differences

The goal of the network

The main objective of the network is contribute to the development, vitality and sustainability of the Marist Mission in the school environment. Its scope is the secondary and pre-secondary schools of the institute or associated with it.

And the value proposal, those advantages that the network will offer, will be:

• Identity and sense of belonging.
• Innovation and educational and evangelizing quality
• Commitment to the student in thinking and global job
• Leveraging technology to to share human resources and educational materials.
• Spaces for education coordinators can deepen their relationship and support, fostering synergies and collaboration.

As a starting point for the launch of the project, some premises are also established that are being very indicative when it comes to moving forward:

• It is inspired by the call and early XXII General Chapter.
• It's a global project
• It's a collaborative project
• Create opportunities for share and maximize resources.
• Provides a platform to share
• Is directed to the entire educational community
• aspire to contribute to the cycle of school improvement
• Is based in the networks Marists already existing

Starting from these bases and guidelines, prepared by a group of experts, a co-creative process is launched, in which we invite you to participate and involve.

The next steps will be taken through the Platform created to continue building the Network, in the space called Agorá, which recalls the square of the Greek "Polis". Register on the platform using this link: https://agora.champagnat.global/

More information on the Web portal: www.champagnat.global