In the Spirit of Justice, Healing and Peace

Like most of the world, we at the International Association for Blended Learning are stunned and horrified by recent events, most poignantly the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer and other similar examples of police overreach. We agree that the intense reactions to the mistreatment of individuals are long overdue and are an outcry for the civil and human rights deserved by all global citizens, including African-Americans and other marginalized populations.  The world is responding and we are proud to join in this response.

Added to these events is the COVID-19 pandemic and the revelation that discrimination in the healthcare system against minority communities is ubiquitous. In addition, we are aware that significant wealth gaps still exist in America and across the globe, and that this leads to more discriminatory acts.  We acknowledge all of these injustices, and we support the voices and civil, peaceful actions that are currently rising up against them. As an international organization with roots in several countries, we are compelled to respond directly through this official statement.

The International Association for Blended Learning condemns all acts of violence, particularly those that target minority groups by armed government officials. We condemn all hate crimes and racial acts of violence. We support public and private academia, not-for-profit institutions, and private digital enterprises with fair and equal educational access across the globe. We seek to level the playing field for all people to experience success in what the 21^st century has to offer in emerging technologies. We want to make crystal clear our position as it aligns with equal educational opportunity, a basic human right.

IABL remains committed to ensuring that the organizations and institutions we support will continue to improve lives and ensure that all citizens, including marginalized groups across the globe, have equal access to blended and online learning tools and information for K-12 and higher education. We believe that this provision of cutting-edge information, as it leverages technologies for global success, is part of the basic civil and human rights to which everyone is entitled.

We fully support the peaceful movements currently under way and their related forthcoming changes. Within this spirit, as an international organization we will continue to:

⮚      Provide free and equal education in promotion of blended and online learning;

⮚      Equalize access to open source and cutting-edge technologies;

⮚      Donate to institutions that support our mission;

⮚      Create and promote social awareness through free webinars and conference symposia.

We join with the global community in the spirit of progress and peace.

-IABL Executive Committee of the Board of Directors