Greenland: European education unions stand in solidarity with teachers and communities
Education trade union leaders from Europe and around the world gathered in Nuuk, Greenland, for the Solidarity and Education Summit, organised at the invitation of the Greenlandic teachers’ union, IMAK.
Held under the banner “Nothing about us without us”, the summit brought together unions to exchange experiences, address challenges facing Greenland’s education system, and reaffirm a shared commitment: education policies must be shaped with teachers and communities, not imposed on them.
Standing with Greenland’s teachers and people
Representing 4.9 million teachers and education personnel across Europe, ETUCE Director Jelmer Evers stressed the importance of international solidarity at a time of growing geopolitical pressure.
“We are here at the invitation of IMAK, the Greenlandic teachers’ union,” he said. “And the theme of the Summit is ‘Nothing about us without us.’”
Participants gathered not only for discussions, but also to visibly demonstrate their support, including a march to Greenland’s parliament.
Evers highlighted that European education unions stand firmly alongside Greenlandic teachers and communities in defending democracy, human rights, public education and the right to self-determination.
“Only the people of Greenland will decide how they want to shape their own future,” he said. “IMAK and the people of Greenland have the full support of Europe’s teacher and education unions.”
A call for genuine cooperation with teachers
A central focus of the summit was the need to strengthen collaboration between decision-makers and the teaching profession.
Drawing on ETUCE’s broader work on teacher policy and social dialogue, John MacGabhann, ETUCE President, underlined that quality education systems depend on structured, meaningful engagement with teachers and their unions. This includes ensuring that policies are co-designed and implemented with those working in classrooms, not developed without their input.
In this context, ETUCE called on the European Commission to take a new approach in its engagement with Greenland.
“The European Commission invests significant resources in Greenland’s education system,” Evers noted. “We call on the Commission to do something it has not done before: to cooperate closely with IMAK and Greenland’s teachers.”
Defending education rooted in language, culture and community
The summit also emphasised the importance of education systems that reflect and respect Indigenous languages, cultures and knowledge.
Participants reaffirmed that there can be no quality education without cultural relevance, and that Indigenous communities must be at the centre of decisions affecting their education systems.
From Europe to the Arctic, unions share a common commitment to defending public education as a fundamental right and a public good, grounded in democracy, inclusion and human dignity.
“Greenland is not for sale”
At the heart of the discussions was a strong political message: education, culture and community cannot be reduced to geopolitical or economic interests.
“Greenland is not for sale,” Evers stated, echoing a key message shared throughout the summit.
For ETUCE and its members, this is a matter of principle. Defending teachers’ rights, strengthening public education, and upholding democratic self-determination are inseparable.
The summit in Nuuk reaffirmed that international solidarity among education unions remains essential to protecting these values — in Greenland and everywhere.
