In 1992 ICMI, on the suggestion of its President, Miguel de Guzmán, established a Solidarity Program in Mathematics Education. The overall objective of the Solidarity Program is to increase, in a variety of ways, the commitment and involvement of mathematics educators around the world in order to help the furtherance of mathematics education in those parts of the world where there is a need for it that justifies international assistance and where the economic and socio-political contexts do not permit adequate and autonomous development. This initiative thus aims at providing means which, together with institutional or other help obtained from various sources, support concrete initiatives and activities that may foster solidarity in mathematics education between well-defined quarters in developed and less developed countries. Particular emphasis is placed on projects that enable the activation of a self-sustainable infra-structure within mathematics education in the region, country, or province at issue.
The first stage in this program of international assistance was the
mounting of a Solidarity Fund based on contributions by individuals, organizations,
etc. Being based on voluntary donations, the Solidarity Fund
is kept separate from ICMI's funds.