Second UNESCO Forum on Global Citizenship Education (GCED) Building Peaceful and Sustainable Societies: Preparing for Post-2015

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On the occasion of the 70^th Anniversary of UNESCO

Second UNESCO Forum on Global Citizenship Education (GCED)

Building peaceful and sustainable societies: preparing for post-2015

In support of the UN Secretary-General’s Global Education First Initiative (GEFI)

28-30 January 2015, Room XI, UNESCO HQ, Paris

Organized by the Division of Education for Teaching, Learning and Content, Education Sector, UNESCO, with the support of Member States

“We need new skills for new times – to foster greater respect and understanding between cultures, to give learners tools to make the most of diversity, to develop new values and behaviours of solidarity and responsibility, to harness the energy of young women and men for the benefit of all,” said Mme Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director-General. “This is the importance of education for global citizenship and why this Forum is so important.”

The Second UNESCO Global Forum on GCED took place in Paris 28-30 January 2015 at UNESCO Headquarters. The two main objectives of the 2nd Forum were to consider GCED in the context of the post-2015 education agenda including consideration of the emerging Framework of Action Post-2015, and the role of GCED for peace.

Photos: Photo Gallery of the Forum

Reports: Presentations and concluding reports

Related Information

Background

Global Citizenship Education (GCED) is receiving increased attention, signalling a shift in the role and purpose of education we need and want for the twenty first century. As discussions around the post-2015 development agenda are consolidating, the international education community is calling for an education that promotes not only cognitive skills but also those values, attitudes and skills that are necessary for forging a more peaceful, just, inclusive and sustainable world.

GCED acquired momentum when the UN Secretary-General launched his Global Education First Initiative (GEFI) in 2012, recognizing the role of education in fostering global citizenship by making it one of GEFI priorities, next to access and quality of education. GCED is a central objective of UNESCO’s education programme, drawing on work in related areas such as peace and human rights education, education for sustainable development and others. UNESCO has undertaken pioneering and foundational work in order to advance the understanding of GCED, provide intellectual guidance and technical support for its implementation. This included the organization of the First Global Forum on GCED in 2013 in Bangkok, Thailand.

The Second UNESCO Global Forum on GCED was organized in Paris 28-30 January 2015 at UNESCO Headquarters. The two main objectives of the 2nd Forum were to consider GCED in the context of the post-2015 education agenda including consideration of the emerging Framework of Action, and the role of GCED for peace. This is in line with the proposal of the EFA Steering Committee and that of the Open Working Group for Sustainable Development Goals for the post-2015 development agenda, in which GCED is proposed as one of the targets of the education goal.

The Second Forum took place at a very strategic time, right after the UNESCO regional consultations on EFA and post-2015 and before the World Education Forum (WEF) in May 2015 in Incheon, Republic of Korea. Thus, the Forum offers a unique opportunity to take stock of the consolidated outcomes of the regional consultations and make recommendations for the WEF. In particular, the Forum will consider current trends and future needs in the area of GCED and will seek to identify policy priorities and strategies for the operationalization of GCED and provide inputs to the Framework for Action on Education post-2015.

Overarching Goal

To contribute to the discussions on global citizenship education in the post-2015 development agenda – focusing on how GCED can foster peaceful, just and inclusive societies.

Objectives

The event was organized in support of the UN Secretary-General’s Global Education First Initiative (GEFI) and aimed to:

Elaborate concrete inputs to the emerging Framework for Action on Education post-2015 as a contribution towards the World Education Forum 2015 and in view of the post-2015 development agenda, in which GCED is proposed as a target of the education goal.
Address the key dimensions of GCED in relation to peace.
Determine implementation strategies based on the pedagogical framework developed by UNESCO – i.e. the GCED Guiding Framework with age-specific topics and learning objectives – looking at innovative research and implementation practices as well as measurement processes and indicators.
Expand and reinforce partnerships and networking opportunities with emphasis on teachers and educators.

As UNESCO is celebrating in 2015 its 70^th Anniversary, this Forum was also the occasion to reaffirm UNESCO’s unique vision of peace that is grounded in the belief that lasting peace is more than security and freedom from violence. As it is stated in UNESCO’s Constitution “since wars begin in the minds of men and women, it is in the minds of men and women that the defences of peace must be constructed.” In the current global context, this vision is more relevant than ever and sets the background for UNESCO’s current engagement in GCED.

Key outcomes

Inputs into the emerging Framework of Action on Education post-2015 in the lead up to the World Education Forum 2015 and concrete inputs to the Framework for Action on Education post-2015.
Key issues related to GCE in relation to peace discussed and documented.
Shared good policy and practice for the implementation of GCED.
Enhanced partnership and networking, especially among teachers and educators.

Participants

Participants at the second Global Forum included Permanent Delegations to UNESCO, GCED experts, teachers and education practitioners, research institutions and universities, the private sector, media, policy makers, UN agencies, civil society organizations, youth representatives, and other development partners.

Youth related issues were mainstreamed throughout the Forum and young participants will be fully involved as plenary speakers, concurrent session organizers and speakers.

Participation will be by invitation only. A total number of approximately150 invited participants are expected.

For more information about the congress visit http://www.unesco.org/new/en/global-citizenship-education/