Understanding the social foundations of education is crucial in a community as diverse as the Middle East-North Africa (MENA).

The way we structure our school environments and manage the students and educators reflects our point of view and concepts. The MENA-OIEC Secretariat General is currently directed by Father Boutros Azar. The MENA-OIEC Secretariat General considers that schools should help to rebuild communities because education is an activity based on value, engaging individuals in experience, or changing that which is valued in societies. Education is at once a way of perpetuating and civilising societies, and thus educators have an enormous responsibility to reflect on and then determine, with the help of others in society, which materials and activities lead to individual improvement, personal and social growth and drive improvements in society.

Dealing with controversial questions that are abundant in our societies can be satisfied by a unified education across the MENA region. The cultural differences that people may have matter little; a common profile must unite the learners of the MENA region.

Political controversies, religious differences, poor interpretation of rules, the violation of human rights and, in particular, women’s rights, are some of the matters that must be dealt with in a civilised way thanks to the great preventative measures dealt with in education. Schools should help communities in the MENA region with the aim of producing individuals who respect civil rights and cultural differences so that we can have a better future.