TQueen Letizia with a group of young participants during the closing ceremony of the conference. HE international community wants to prevent, or at least alleviate, the dramatic reality that has led to over 21,000 girls and boys and their teachers being attacked in the past five years. In countries like Afghanistan, Mali, Nigeria and Syria, just going to school means risking life and limb and the right to learn without fear is a distant dream. Protecting these children is complex but humanitarian aid mechanisms are making progress. In the Third International Conference on Safe Schools, organised by Spain in collaboration with Argentina, Norway and the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (GCPEA) held in Palma de Mallorca on 28 and 29 May, the acting Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, announced that Spain will be leading the civilian and military personnel training of countries that are part of the Safe Schools Declaration. Three more countries (Guatemala, Nicaragua and Gambia) announced their intention to endorse this Declaration and to adopt the Guidelines for Protecting Schools and Universities from Military Use during Armed Conflict; therefore 90 States are now committed to preventing teachers and students from becoming military targets. Queen and establish a common strategy, the Conference managed to bring together over 300 people, including ministers, political managers and military personnel from almost one hundred countries (including some countries with educational systems affected by conflict or insecurity) and high-level management from the most significant international organisations involved in the protection of children and gender equality. Other authorities present included the acting Minister for Defence, Margarita Robles; the acting head of government of the Balearic Islands, Francina Armengol; the High Commissioner for the 2030 Agenda, Cristina Gallach; the Secretary-General of Defence Policy, Admiral Juan Francisco Martínez Núñez; the Director-General of Defence Policy, Elena Gómez Castro; and the executive directors of UNICEF, Henrietta H. Fore, and Save The Children, Helle Thorning-Schmidt. «We need to be capable of finding common values, because even in war there are rules to be followed», stated Josep Borrell at the inauguration. KEEPING GIRLS AND BOYS SAFE In the final conclusions and commitments, in addition to the noteworthy accession of Guatemala, Nicaragua and Gambia to the Safe Schools Declara- Letizia of Spain, who brought the conference to a close, summed up the objectives of the meeting: «All girls and boys should be able to go to school in peace, they should have a school to go to, this school should have resources and, above all, it should have teachers; this should be a basic premise for Society as a whole, for institutions, for everyone». Aware of the need for all those involved in the defence of education to speak out, join forces and face challenges from a practical and operative standpoint, the Spanish government organised the Palma de Mallorca meeting, as part of its firm commitment to humanitarian awareness, through the ministries and bodies involved in its external action. Conceived as a political instrument to lay foundations Spain is implementing a Safe Schools training programme December 2019 Revista Española de Defensa 41 Casa de S.M el Rey
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