The IBE Axiom: “Rising from the Individual to the Universal”

As seen in preceding chapters, the links to the educational reformist movements became less official and more blurred. The IBE’s leaders however were neither disowning their educational orientations nor abandoning their pacifist mission. The IBE was oriented towards guaranteeing access to education for all, and developing the knowledge and methods that could be universalised to achieve this. This was underpinned by a powerful psychological theory with a universal aim and rooted in nature that must be respected to enable the child to overcome egocentrism to attain the universal. But contrary to some UNESCO wishes, the universal aim was not to establish a world culture but working to reconcile local, national and even patriotic points of view while promoting a global citizenship, and striving against any cultural hegemony.