International Falcon Movement – Socialist Educational International
Professional services
UnclaimedAn international non-profit federation that supports socialist, democratic and child-led education and campaigns for children's rights.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
International Falcon Movement – Socialist Educational International, commonly abbreviated IFM-SEI, is an international non-profit movement based in Belgium whose central purpose is to advance children's rights through education, participation, solidarity and collective action. It brings together child and youth self-organisations, family organisations and other groups that work with or for children and young people. Its members operate in multiple regions, with particularly strong networks in Europe and Latin America, and use local groups, educational activities, camps and youth-led projects to encourage children and young people to participate in social and democratic life. The movement's work combines non-formal education with advocacy. Member organisations commonly run regular activities for children and young people, including group meetings, outdoor programmes, camps and political or cultural education. At international level, IFM-SEI coordinates campaigns, seminars, training programmes, exchanges and large-scale camps. Its public priorities have included opposition to child labour and child sexual exploitation, promotion of children's rights, peace-building, international friendship, inclusion and the participation of young people in decisions that affect them. The organisation's approach is rooted in the idea that children should not only be protected by adults but also be recognised as active rights-holders and participants. IFM-SEI has a long tradition of international children's republics and camps. Before the Second World War it organised large children's republics in Belgium, France, England and Belgium's Liège region. After 1945, it continued this tradition through recurring international camps and by encouraging bilateral and multilateral camps among member organisations. These gatherings have addressed themes such as solidarity, freedom and peace, children's rights, the Millennium Development Goals, social change, international friendship and cooperation. The 2022 international camp in Northamptonshire, England, was postponed from 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, while a further camp was held in Nurmes, Finland, in 2023. The organisation is connected to the wider international socialist and progressive youth movement. It describes itself as a fraternal organisation of Socialist International and works with the International Union of Socialist Youth and Young European Socialists. It is also associated with the European Youth Forum, the Latin American youth platform Foro Latino-America de Juventud and the International Coordination Meeting of Youth Organisations, which coordinates the work of globally active youth organisations in relation to the United Nations and its agencies. In Europe, Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, its network includes organisations using different national traditions and names, including Falcons, Red Falcons, children's clubs, youth associations and educational movements. IFM-SEI is governed through an international presidium consisting of the president, vice-president, secretary-general and regional representatives. Its governance rules reserve regional representation for women and people under 30. The movement is not a commercial consumer brand: it functions as a membership-based international civil-society and educational network. Its identity is defined by child rights, socialist and democratic education, internationalism, youth participation and solidarity among member organisations.
History
IFM-SEI emerged from the international Falcon tradition, a network of socialist and progressive children's and youth organisations that used collective education, outdoor activities and international exchange to promote solidarity and democratic participation. The movement's early history included a sequence of international children's republics. The first was held at Oostduinkerke, Belgium, in 1933. Further republics followed at Verneuil-l'Étang in France in 1935, Brighton in England in 1937 and Wandre near Liège in Belgium in 1939. These events brought together children from several European countries and, in the later gatherings, participants from Spain and Tunisia as well. Their themes included solidarity, freedom and peace. The Second World War interrupted this pattern, but international cooperation resumed after 1945. IFM-SEI subsequently organised camps in Britain, Austria, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Belgium, Finland, the Czech Republic and Hungary. The camps provided an international setting for education, friendship and political discussion while also allowing member organisations to share methods of working with children. Important post-war gatherings included the 2000 camp in Döbriach, Austria, which focused on children's rights; the 2006 camp in Kent, England, which addressed the Millennium Development Goals; and the 2010 programme in Döbriach and Jedovnice under the theme “Train 4 Change.” A 2016 camp was held in Reinwarzhofen, Germany. The federation's contemporary work extends beyond camps. It supports member organisations through training, seminars and educational resources and coordinates campaigns on children's rights and social justice. Its activities have addressed child labour and child sexual exploitation, while peace and inclusion work has included a Peace Camp bringing together Israeli and Palestinian participants. Queer Easter is an IFM event associated with LGBT inclusion and youth participation. Activities are delivered both by the international body and through its member organisations, which maintain local groups, family programmes, children's clubs and youth initiatives. Institutionally, IFM-SEI operates as part of a wider network of international socialist, youth and civil-society organisations. It works closely with the International Union of Socialist Youth and Young European Socialists and is linked to Socialist International as a fraternal organisation. It is a full member of the European Youth Forum and participates in the Foro Latino-America de Juventud and the International Coordination Meeting of Youth Organisations. These relationships connect its child-rights and youth-education work with European, Latin American and global policy discussions, including engagement with United Nations-related processes. The organisation's leadership has traditionally been drawn from its member movements. Its presidium includes international officers and regional representatives from Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, Europe and Asia. Governance arrangements provide reserved regional places for women and people under 30, reflecting the organisation's emphasis on representation and youth involvement. The 2022 international camp was postponed from 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and took place in Northamptonshire, England, under the theme “Common Ground – International Friendship and Solidarity.” The federation held another international camp in Nurmes, Finland, in 2023, themed around doing things together. As an active international network, IFM-SEI continues to combine member-led education, children's rights advocacy, camps and cross-border solidarity.
- 2023
Nurmes international camp
[1]An international camp in Nurmes, Finland, used the theme “Yhessä Together” and emphasised collective activity and cooperation.
- 2022
Common Ground international camp
[1]The postponed international camp in Northamptonshire, England, centred on international friendship and solidarity.
- 2010
Train 4 Change
[1]IFM-SEI held linked camp activities in Austria and the Czech Republic under the theme “Train 4 Change.”
- 2006
Millennium Development Goals camp
[1]A large international camp in Kent, England, addressed the Millennium Development Goals and involved approximately 5,000 participants.
- 2000
International camp focused on children's rights
[1]The international camp at Döbriach, Austria, used children's rights as its central theme and hosted about 1,000 participants.
- 1939
Fourth children's republic
[1]The fourth pre-war republic took place at Wandre near Liège and focused on freedom and peace.
- 1937
Brighton children's republic
[1]The third republic was held in Brighton under the theme of solidarity, with approximately 2,000 participants.
- 1935
Second children's republic
[1]A second republic took place at Verneuil-l'Étang in France and brought together about 900 children from several European countries.
- 1933
First international children's republic
[1]The first recorded IFM children's republic was held at Oostduinkerke in Belgium.
Products and positioning
A transnational, member-led children's-rights and youth-education federation combining socialist educational traditions, child participation, international solidarity and non-formal learning.
Product categories. Children's-rights campaigns · Non-formal education · Youth leadership training · International seminars and exchanges · Children's and youth camps · Peace-building and solidarity activities
Marketing campaigns
- Child labour campaign
International
IFM-SEI campaigns against child labour as part of its broader child-rights and social-justice work.
- Campaign against child sexual exploitation
International
The movement has identified child sexual exploitation, including child pornography, as an issue for international advocacy and education.
- Peace Camp
International · Middle East
A peace-building activity brought Israeli and Palestinian participants together through international youth education and exchange.
- Queer Easter
International
Queer Easter is an IFM event associated with LGBT inclusion, youth participation and educational exchange.
Brand decisions
2020
Postponement of the international campStrategyBackground
The international camp planned for 2020 was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Action taken
The event was postponed and later held in Northamptonshire in 2022.
Aftermath
The rescheduled camp adopted the theme “Common Ground – International Friendship and Solidarity.”
Sources2 sources
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