The Development education Center (O3V) was established in 1989 and began to operate immediately thereafter. In cooperation with local and national NGOs O3V is producing educational activities in schools on global issues.

O3V is the only Danish organisation specialised in "the living word" in connection to develop education. We have gathered a group of immigrants and refugees that serve as very popular additions to the curriculum when they visit the schools and tell about their culture.

In general O3V is occupied with being a resource center. O3V is keeping a library of development education materials, books, audiovisual materials, periodicals etc. We are receiving queries through email, mail, telephone calls and personal visits. Increasingly O3V is receiving mails from students asking questions regarding development countries, child labour, child soldiers etc. O3V is cooperating with other NGOs, which seek advice and information regarding children, school, learning, and pedagogy from us. For instance in 2003 we cooperate with a NGO that works with housing in development countries (DIB) on their most recent project: a website on children and housing globally seen.

In 2003 the Development Education center (O3V) is involved in the following activities:

• Images of Asia: a national information- and culture festival, which aims to increase the Danish understanding of contemporary Asia and promote cooperation between Denmark and Asia. O3V is member of the steering committee and coordinator of one of the key programmes (2003).
• Asia in the School – Black Box is one of the key programmes of Images of Asia. Black box is a teaching concept, which explores Asia, shows perceptions of Asia and creates exchange between students and teachers in Denmark and eight Asian countries. The Black Box project initiates with students exploring their local area and tracking down Asian contacts and people. Afterwards their ideas are put into perspective in the classroom. Based on their newly acquired knowledge, they subsequently create an installation in a black box. The box is displayed at the local art museum or gallery and is also put on the Internet. It is then possible for all participating schools in both Denmark and Asia to see the boxes, and exchange experiences and discuss via the net. In Denmark, the project is directed at 7-9th graders from all the cities and towns involved in Images of Asia (2003).
• Aarhus Festival Week – Images of Asia: O3V participates in the council, which manages and coordinates the events at the annual Aarhus Festival Week (2003).
• Get2gether: O3V cooperates with teachers’ college on the children’s programme during the Aarhus Festival Week. In 2003 theme will be Asia (2003).
• Story tellers in Europe: O3V at present is planning that a small number of story tellers from North and South will visit one or more cities in Europe and take part in a story telling event (2003).
• Development education workshop: O3V is at present planning a seminar in 2004 on small NGOs working with development education in Europe. We have taken contact to other NGOs that look like us (Belgium, UK, Poland, Holland and Sweden).
• The international dimension in Aarhus: O3V has launched cooperation with the school authorities in our hometown. A network of teachers is working with the global dimension in the school sharing ideas and views (2003).
• European cooperation: O3V has cooperated with Southern Voices regarding sharing ideas, development of projects and sharing views.

In 2002 O3V was involved in the national storyteller festival: The good story. The festival aims at giving space for the good story in the multi cultural society. The festivals explore storytelling through the following perspectives: The book, to read, the want to read and oral storytelling in professional culture. O3V has participated for the 3^rd time in this festival by providing professional storytellers to events at schools, libraries, institutions and organisations. We had invited Adama Barry, a professional storyteller from Burkina Faso to join our seminar on storytelling. While in Denmark Adama Barry visited several schools, libraries and other institutions and told dilemma stories and played flute for an interested audience of children and youth.