Tag Archive for: Unesco

UNESCO: environmental education must be a core curriculum component by 2025

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The Unesco World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development, followed online by over 10,000 viewers, was organized by UNESCO in cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Education and Research of Germany and the German Commission for UNESCO as advisory partner.

Over 80 ministers and vice ministers and 2,800 education and environment stakeholders committed to taking concrete steps to transform learning for the survival of our planet at the end of a three-day virtual World Conference held from 17 to 19 May.

UNESCO has called for Education for Sustainable Development to be a core component of all education systems at all levels by 2025. The Berlin Declaration on Education for Sustainable Development outlines a range of policies to transform learning encompassing teaching, learning, professional training and civic engagement. It also highlights the need to implement Education for Sustainable Development with focus on cognitive skills, social and emotional learning, collaboration skills, problem solving, resilience-building.

«We need training for sustainable development not to be a privilege but accessible to all people. The success of the Education for Sustainable Development programme for 2030 will bring us closer to all the SDGs» said German Chancellor Angela Merkel in her welcoming address, describing Germany’s broad network of partners working on sustainability at all levels of education and training.

Laurent Fabius, who presided COP21 where the Paris Agreement was sealed, stated the «fight against climate change begins at school.» He recalled commitments in the Paris Agreement to education, and called for increased efforts to improve teacher training on ESD and increase financing. «2021 is the year in which we will overcome the pandemic and embark on a sustainable development model for the future that must include ESD. If we miss this occasion, we will lose decades. This is a race against the clock.”»

The voices of young people were given a platform throughout the Conference, as those leading the call for change so that they can #LearnForOurPlanet.

The adoption of the Berlin Declaration will create momentum for the implementation of ESD for 2030 Roadmap – the framework for this decade of Education for Sustainable Development. Every UNESCO Member State will be asked to create a network of actors who together can implement the ambitious vision for education.

From Berlin, 2021 will provide key opportunities for governments to apply this commitment, including the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP 15) and the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow.

ESDfor2030: UNESCO-Japan Prize

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Since 2015, the UNESCO-Japan Prize on Education for sustainable development recognizes the role of education in connecting the different dimensions of sustainable development.

The Prize honours outstanding projects by institutions and organizations related to Education for Sustainable Development.

The 2021 call for nominations is open until 30 April 2021. All the information about the selection criteria, the nomination process, Prize Statutes and the International Jury are available on UNESCO website.

To know more about the Prize, read here.

Education for achieving Sustainable Development Goals

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The UNESCO World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development (17-19 May 2021) is organized by UNESCO in cooperation with and supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research of Germany, and with the German Commission for UNESCO as advisory partner.

This year the Conference wants to address the challenges the climate crisis and Covid-19 brought to the attention and equip learners with knowledge, skills, values and attitudes needed to contribute to a more sustainable world. In 2017, ESD (Education for Sustainable Development) was recognized by UN General Assembly as an integral element of the SDGs on quality education and a key enabler of all the other SDGs.

The goal of the Conference is to create a momentum for the new framework ESD for 2030 (that focuses on streamlining ESD with Agenda 2030) to achieve the SDGs within the next 10 years and to build education systems that support learners of all ages to be responsible and active contributors to more sustainable societies and a healthy planet.

The Conference will take place on a participatory online platform. The format of the virtual Conference will include interactive plenaries for debate and dialogue and concurrent sessions for in-depth discussion, online-workshops, virtual exhibitions and digital networking opportunities. Interaction will be key to the whole programme in order to provide a learning experience for all.

Further information on participation and how to register for the Conference will be soon available on UNESCO website.

In preparation of the UNESCO World Conference on ESD, you can participate to the pre-conference workshops to April 2021.

Ocean Literacy: a toolkit by Unesco

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“The ocean is a source of food, energy, minerals, increasingly of medications; it regulates the Earth’s climate and hosts the greatest diversity of life and ecosystems, and is a provider of economic, social and aesthetic services to humankind – write Vladimir RyabininES/IOC-UNESCO and QianTangADG/ED in the foreward – Knowing and understanding the ocean’s influence on us, and our influence on the ocean is crucial to living and acting sustainably”.

It is made of two parts. The first part presents the history of ocean literacy, and describes its framework made of 7 essential principles, and connects them to international ocean science programs that contributes to enhancing ocean knowledge and observations. Moreover, marine scientists and educators were interviewed to share their professional experiences on ocean literacy as well as their views on its future. The last chapter of part 1 describes the existing challenges to marine education, as well as the path for the development of successful ocean literacy activities in the context of the 2030 Agenda. One of the most important factors identified is related to the creation of multi-sector partnerships among the education, government, and private sector that have jointly built ocean literacy programs for all formal educational levels from the primary school to the university level as well as for non-formal learners. Worldwide examples of such programs are presented.

The second part, after introducing the methodological approach based on the multi-perspective framework for ESD developed by UNESCO, presents 14 activities that could provide tested examples and support for the implementation of marine education initiatives. The aim is not to provide a one size-fits-all ready to use collection, but rather to offer support and examples of what could be then adapted for different geographical and cultural contexts. The resources are designed to be relevant for all learners of all ages worldwide and to find their application in many learning settings, while in their concrete implementation they will, naturally, have to be adapted to the national or local context

«We hope that this publication will inspire the readers – scientists, educators and learners – to take greater personal responsibility for the ocean, as well as to enable them to act as citizens, working through partnerships and networks, sharing ideas and experiences and developing new approaches and initiatives in support of ocean literacy. The ocean is the great unifier and it is our shared responsibility to preserve it for the current and future generations»

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Unep and Unesco patronage to the 10WEEC

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The WEEC Permanent Secretariat is very proud to announce that UNESCO and UNEP agencies gave – once again – their patronage to the World Environmental Education Congress, that will be held in Bangkok  from 3 to 7 November 2019.

The esteem shown by these authoritative institutions for our Congress and for our work is renewed. The commitment that our Network demonstrates, in continuing to pursue the issues of environmental education and sustainability, is carefully viewed by the main institutions of the United Nations. Let’s move forward in our commitment to support the Sustainable Development Goals 2030.

Unesco and UN Environment have several teams interested in organising workshops and side events during the WEEC Congress in Bangkok, to know more please read here,  the official program will be updated as soon as possible.

«l would like to congratulate you on the thematic focus of the 10th WorldEnvironmental Education Congress – can be read in the official Unesco communication – Namely to discuss local knowledge,communication and global connectivity with regard to their importance forEnvironmental Education. In this respect, thé objectives of thé WEEC are closely related to UNESCO’s Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) programme, which aims to empower individuals to contribute to sustainable development».

The World Handprint Day celebrates positive actions

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Today, November 27,  is celebrated as World Handprint Day gathering all the positive actions taken by the people around the globe towards sustainability. This day highlights the importance of various positive actions taken by an individual and community, together to set a long journey towards sustainability. The second ‘Global Handprint Day’ is be organized at CEE Ahmedabad on November 27, 2018.
On the day, Handprint actions of the schools, teachers and students across the country are recognized at national level. The event sees felicitation of ‘Paryavaran Mitra Puraskar’ exemplar of 2018. ‘Paryavaran Mitra Puraskar’ provides a rich platform for schools across the country to share and learn from the hands on experiences in environment education from each other.

The Handprint was launched by Centre for Environment Education (CEE) on 27th November, 2007 at UNESCO’s 4th International Conference on Environmental Education held at Ahmedabad, India. The concept emerged from one of the CEE’s Programmes- Environmental Education in Schools of Andhra Pradesh (EESAP 2000 to 2008). Handprint represents positive actions taken by the people around the globe towards sustainability.