The focus of the conference was on trade union challenges and professionalism, as well as political, social, and health issues impacting education everywhere.

After a warm welcome and a summary of the outcome of the last world congress, Thulas Nxesi reflected on the congress theme. "Joining together - is what, as a trade union organization- we are all about," he said. A brief history of Education International followed, showing how developments in the education sector have been reflected in the international labour movement.

Teachers hold positions of leadership, but there are still many challenges to be faced in relation to the issue of unity. For Thulas Nxesi, these challenges are "… becoming truly global …" and "… uniting the affiliates …".

For EI, education is a human right, and the overriding goal is quality education for all. "What kind of education do we need?" is the question Thulas Nxesi asks. In his reply, he points out that there has to be more than the assumption that education exists mainly to produce a work force for an increasingly competitive global economy. This view is called "Education for Human Capital" and is dominant among governments and the corporate world.

The vision of what education might look like in the view of teacher unions follows an "Education for Social Justice" approach. "Certainly we have an obligation to help our students find their way to earning a living. But education should be much more than that", Thulas Nxesi points out.

Other newsworthy events included the launch of the 2007 EI Barometer of Human and Trade Union Rights; the presentation of two major awards to honour outstanding teachers and trade unionists; reports on EI's post-tsunami school reconstruction programme; and HIV/AIDS prevention through education.