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Learning for lasting peace: International Day of Education

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During our recent 60th Anniversary Symposium, we caught up with Ministers of Education, experts, and partners on how they view the future of educational planning. Who does it serve? What are the priorities? And how is the field evolving? 

As we mark the sixth International Day of Education, watch these short videos to learn more.

Learning for lasting peace 

Education is a fundamental human right and is a driving force in establishing global peace. Amid a surge of conflicts, racism, and hate speech, ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education is more urgent today than ever. That’s why UNESCO is dedicating the sixth International Day of Education, on 24 January, to learning for lasting peace .

What role for educational planning and management? 

Planning and management can contribute to learning for lasting peace in many ways. For example, planning for crises, climate change, and inclusion can stamp out long-standing inequalities and build social cohesion and resilience. 

Planning for relevant skills for the future can help ensure today’s youth have decent work opportunities amid changing labour markets. Ensuring strong governance, transparency, and accountability can help guarantee effective service delivery and equitable financing for education. 

When these dimensions are carefully planned for, education can become a transformative vessel for peace and justice. 

Learn more about International Day of Education .

• Join our next Strategic Debate on 10 October 20 September 2024
• Protecting education from attack: EiE data in Burkina Faso 06 September 2024
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• Find out more about UNESCO's 2024 celebrations for International Day of Education
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International Day of Education

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Education is a human right, a public good and a public responsibility.

The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 24 January as International Day of Education , in celebration of the role of education for peace and development.

Without inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong opportunities for all, countries will not succeed in achieving gender equality and breaking the cycle of poverty that is leaving millions of children, youth and adults behind.

Today, 258 million children and youth still do not attend school; 617 million children and adolescents cannot read and do basic math; less than 40% of girls in sub-Saharan Africa complete lower secondary school and some four million children and youth refugees are out of school. Their right to education is being violated and it is unacceptable.

2021 CELEBRATIONS BY UNESCO

The third International Day of Education (January 24) will be marked on Monday 25 January 2021 under the theme ‘ Recover and Revitalize Education for the COVID-19 Generation’ . Now is the time to power education by stepping up collaboration and international solidarity to place education and lifelong learning at the centre of the recovery.

The global event for the Day will be planned along three main segments: learning heroes, innovations, and financing . It will be organized in partnership with the UNESCO New York Office, UNHQ, the Global Partnership for Education and the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies (CRI), and feature the participation of partners from the Global Education Coalition. Capturing the spirit of the International Day of Education, CRI and UNESCO have spearheaded a Learning Planet Festival to celebrate learning in all contexts and share innovations that fulfill the potential of every learner, no matter what their circumstances. The CRI will also be unveiling the winners of an essay contest of “Le Petit Prince”.  

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• Contact:  ied21@unesco.org  

Celebrations around the world

• Beijing, China, 20 January - The China Education Association for International Exchange organizes an event co-hosted by Beijing Normal University to call on attention to “Education Equality and Sustainable Development in the Post-Pandemic Era.” Features participation of Mr Tian Xuejun, Vice-Minister of Education and Chairperson of the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO; Stefania Giannini, Assistant Director-General for Education; the Africa Union Commission, ambassadors, teachers and students.
• Toronto, Canada, 20-22 January - Co-organized by York International and the UNESCO Chair in Reorienting Education Towards Sustainability in cooperation with strategic partners International Association of Universities (IAU), Canadian Commission for UNESCO (CCU) and Okayama University (Japan), the Conference will discuss the evolving status of international mobility in higher education in Canada and globally, critically reflect on where we are now, and to collectively build a future vision of international mobility that is inclusive, innovative and responsive to the global sustainability challenges of our times. More information
• Alexandria, Egypt, 24 January - The Learning Lab of the University of Alexandria in Egypt coordinated by Pr. Ghada El Khayat and the Learning Lab of the University of Sousse in Tunisia coordinated by Pr. Lilia Cheniti organize a webinar on Sunday January 24th, 2021 named "Let’s celebrate” under the theme ‘Recover and Revitalize Education for the COVID-19 Generation’ identified by Unesco for this year celebration. Experts from the four countries involved in the LETS Learning Labs network will participate in the discussion. More information
• Manila, Philippines, 25 January - The International Cooperation Office of the Department of Education of the Philippines organizes an event on “Stories of Revitalization and Excellence: 2021 International Day of Education Virtual Forum.” The event puts the spotlight on the significant role of teachers in making education work for peace and development. Features interventions by the Secretary of the Department of Education Leonor Magtolis Briones; SEAMEO Secretariat Director Dr Ethel Valenzuela; Stefania Giannini, Assistant Director-General for Education; school principals and teachers.  

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International Day of Education – Message From the Un Secretary-general

Today we celebrate the first International Day of Education.

Education transforms lives. As United Nations Messenger of Peace Malala Yousafzai once said: “one child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world”. Nelson Mandela rightly called education “the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

Long before I served at the United Nations or held public office in my own country, I was a teacher. In the slums of Lisbon, I saw that education is an engine for poverty eradication and a force for peace.

Today, education is at the heart of the Sustainable Development Goals.

We need education to reduce inequalities and improve health. We need education to achieve gender equality and eliminate child marriage. We need education to protect our planet’s resources. And we need education to fight hate speech, xenophobia and intolerance, and to nurture global citizenship.

Yet at least 262 million children, adolescents and youth are out of school, most of them girls.  Millions more who attend school are not mastering the basics.

This is a violation of their human right to education. The world cannot afford a generation of children and young people who lack the skills they need to compete in the 21st century economy, nor can we afford to leave behind half of humanity.

We must do far more to advance Sustainable Development Goal 4, to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

Education can also break and reverse cycles of intergenerational poverty. Studies show that if all girls and boys complete secondary education, 420 million people could be lifted out of poverty.

Let us prioritize education as a public good; support it with cooperation, partnerships and funding; and recognize that leaving no one behind starts with education.

Translations

Twitter #EducationDay

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Starting the Story for More Children on International Day of Education

#StartTheStory with us!

To mark The International Day of Education on January 24, 2024, we are using the hashtag  #StartTheStory  on social media to highlight the pivotal power that books, stories, and reading materials have in transforming lives and building better futures. Join us and share what started the story for you!

CALLING ALL READERS! What book made you a reader? #EducationDay is Jan 24.  To celebrate, share your favorite childhood book using #StartTheStory. Let's spark the joy of reading for all children everywhere!

What started the story for you?

Reading is like having an all access key that can open any door

- Luis Benveniste, Global Director of Education, World Bank

Books have the extraordinary ability to ignite children's curiosity

- Stefania Giannini, Assistant Director-General for Education, UNESCO

Books are children's window to achieving their dreams

- Robert Jenkins, Director, Education and Adolescent Development, UNICEF

The book that really got me into reading is Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

- Victoria Kwakwa, Vice President for Eastern and Southern Africa, World Bank

Education and reading open our minds up to incredible creative power

- Rita Nana Adwoa Arthur, World Bank #YouthActOnEDU Spoken Word Winner

As a child, I started reading the tales of the Grimm brothers with my twin ...

- Axel van Trotsenburg, Senior Managing Director, World Bank

Why Reading with Children Matters

Becoming a reader is a complex process which requires lots of support and practice. Activities like talking to children, asking them questions, telling them stories and rhymes, and reading to them all form the foundations for children’s language development. Even after children start school and are taught the mechanics of reading, the process continues as children master more complex reading skills and move from learning to read to using reading as a tool to learn. Children need varied books (including picture books, non-fiction books, and textbooks),  support and encouragement from their parents and caregivers , effective literacy instruction in school, and regular opportunities to read. 

Unfortunately, too many children are growing up without books. Only  2 percent of children under the age of five in sub-Saharan Africa are growing up with three or more children’s books in their homes . Parents and caregivers with low literacy levels may not be aware of how they can support their children’s learning with reading activities. In some languages, there are few (or no) books available, which means children can’t practice reading in a  language they know . Even where books are available, they are often costly, making it prohibitively expensive for families. In some countries where textbooks are purchased by the education system, challenges with  procurement and distribution  can result in low-quality, high-cost books which don’t arrive in school on time (or at all).

These issues have lifelong consequences:  seventy percent of children in low- and middle-income countries  are unable to read and understand an age-appropriate passage by their tenth birthday (a situation we call  learning poverty ). Learning poverty wastes young peoples’ potential, impacts future workforces and ultimately, erodes countries’ economic competitiveness.

The World Bank's Approach

Through the  Read@Home  initiative, the World Bank is working with governments and other partners in 18 countries so far to expand access to  quality reading and learning materials , reduce the cost of  procuring and distributing books , and  support parents and caregivers  from the most vulnerable households to engage with their children’s learning.

• In Senegal , for example, Read@Home is supporting the government to distribute books in Arabic, French, and seven Senegalese languages alongside support for parents and caregivers to reach over 2 million children aged zero to six (covering 50 percent of children below the age of six across the country).
• In  North Macedonia , Read@Home supported government efforts to boost children’s reading assessment scores in the early grades, reaching the poorest 10 percent of families with storybooks and activities to encourage reading at home.
• Read@Home launched the  Early Learning Resource Network  to enable governments and partners to find and use  open licensed books  and instructional materials in multiple languages, and provide tools and guidance to support every stage of the book development and distribution process.

In 2020, the World Bank, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, FCDO, UNICEF, and USAID launched the Accelerator Program  which coordinates efforts across the partners to ensure that the countries in the Program are showing improvements in foundational skills at scale over the next three to five years.  The Accelerator Program acknowledges a global cohort of countries or sub-national entities that 1) demonstrate strong political and financial commitment to improved learning, 2) are willing to measure and monitor learning outcomes, and 3) have an investment plan to reduce learning poverty. 

The World Bank is also working closely with UNICEF, UNESCO, FCDO, USAID, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and GPE as the Coalition for Foundational Learning to advocate and provide technical support to ensure foundational learning.  The World Bank works with these partners to promote and endorse the  Commitment to Action on Foundational Learning , a global network of countries committed to halving the global share of children unable to read and understand a simple text by age 10 by 2030.

Getting every child reading. Are we up for the challenge?

Read@Home in Senegal: Tackling learning poverty with early reading

Five steps to get open-source books right

Three steps to get every child reading

#StartTheStory

Educating Youth to Transform Western and Central Africa

OpEd: Building Tomorrow’s Peace and Prosperity in West and Central Africa – A Call for Investing in Education Today

Completing school is the pathway to a better future for Dominican women

Video:  The importance of investing in a high-quality Early Childhood Education in Latin America and the Caribbean

OpEd:  Education’s crisis is one we must overcome together

Learning to read, reading to learn: Four lessons from Aprender+ in Mozambique

From the horse’s mouth: Technical education is a changer for girls interested in STEM

Building a bright future: the power of preschool education in Djibouti

Facing the Challenges of Girls’ Education in Pakistan

Educating girls is key if we want a future of equality

Why girls’ education should remain a priority

The pandemic’s educational fallout: What the 2022 PISA results reveal

COVID-19 school closures caused a significant drop in student learning outcomes

INITIATIVES

Early Learning Resource Network

Coalition for Foundational Learning

Commitment to Action on Foundational Learning

Learning in Crisis: Prioritizing education & effective policies to recover lost learning

Download print-ready children's books and learning materials in a variety of languages

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2022 International Day of Education: looking back and leading forward in post-COVID19 learning recovery

We mark the fourth  International Day of Education  grappling with the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our current generation of learners  , which at the peak of school closures disrupted learning of more than 1.6 billion children and youth across the world. We are living a “crisis within a crisis”. 

Back in January 2021, we commemorated the day with a blog by World Bank Managing Director Mari Pangestu: “ Harnessing the promise of innovation in education “ in which she sounded the alarm on the impacts of the unfolding crisis and highlighted the opportunities offered by innovative approaches to delivering remote education during the pandemic. A related feature story:  Urgent, Effective Action Required to Quell the Impact of COVID-19 on Education Worldwide  – already then, was pointing to the huge potential learning loses and calling for urgent action to address these impact and invest in building back more effective, equitable and resilient education systems.

A lot happened in 12 months, but two things are now vividly clear: (i) the learning losses and the ensuing social and economic costs are substantial; (ii) urgent and ambitious action is needed to recover losses and accelerate learning. 

By the end of 2021, the evidence of the unprecedented magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic-inflicted education crisis was undisputable. In our joint  State of the Education Crisis Report , with UNESCO and UNICEF, we updated our estimates of the economic costs of learning losses: this generation stands to lose $17 trillion in lifetime earnings (in present value) or about 14 percent of today’s global GDP, due to COVID-19 pandemic-related school closures and the economic shocks. This new projection far exceeds our $10 trillion  estimates released in 2020 . Moreover, in low- and middle-income countries, the share of children living in  Learning Poverty – already 53 percent before the pandemic – could reach 70 percent given the long school closures and the ineffectiveness of remote learning to ensure learning continuity for young children. The latest data also points to an inequality catastrophe in the making: across generations, socio-economic groups, locations, and across countries.

A chorus of voices internationally is sounding the alarm for policy makers to act now and decisively. At the end of 2021, the outgoing UNICEF Head, Henrietta Fore, and World Bank Group President, David Malpass uttered a powerful message to reverse the pandemic's education losses , and highlighted that by investing in learning recovery and using technology wisely we can turn the challenges and lessons from the pandemic into a catalyst to achieve the SDG goal of quality education for all children  .

We enter the third year of the pandemic armed with new data and lessons on how countries are ensuring learning continuity and recovery in the midst of the spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant, along with updated guidance and tools for: reopening and keeping opened schools safely, making remote learning more effective, measuring learning loss and assessing learning remotely, supporting teachers, and for developing and implementing robust evidence-based and inclusive learning recovery plans. Our education team, in collaboration with several partners, has been actively contributing to the global knowledge base in this area. Below is a very selected compilation of links to these resources.

As our teams and policy makers leverage this knowledge to implement aggressive measures to bring all students back to school and roll out ambitious learning recovery programs, we cannot forget to listen to the advice and lessons learned shared by learners themselves. Last year over 400 high school students from 62 countries across every continent, from various social, cultural and economic backgrounds, told us about their experience learning during COVID-19 and shared their ideas on how to improve the learning experience. Once again, we want to hear from you .

Meanwhile, let me share my own takeaways on what it takes to recover from this crisis and rebuild back better, effective, equitable and resilient education systems:

• In order realize the future of learning where learning does not stop at the school walls, we need to be guided by the fact that children learn best when they experience joy, rigor, and purpose in the learning process. Resilience and equity in education are two sides of the same coin. Remote education needs to harness the power of connectedness and meaningful two-way interactions between teachers and learners, and need to engage and support parents as partners to ensure both continuity of learning and children’s socioemotional well-being, especially in the early years.   
• While not a magic bullet, education technology can be an effective tool to expand access to learning both inside and outside of the classroom, building more resilient systems that personalize learning at and beyond the school. To realize this potential, investments in EdTech need to be embedded in broad, sustainable policies and programs that enable schools and education systems to accelerate learning, with a ruthless focus on equity. Digital learning must serve as the great equalizer, rather than what it has been: a great divider.   
• All efforts should aim at enhancing the effectiveness of teachers , through constant and effective feedback on how to improve their pedagogy, structured lesson plans, and strategies to nurture socio-emotional skills and to assess learning in the classroom. This support should include expanding their access and capacity to utilize technology , including technical and pedagogical competencies needed for effective remote teaching.  
• We need to end the learning data crisis . Collecting data and building national capacity to assess that learning is actually happening and monitor progress, understand the drivers of learning and improve management and delivery through feedback mechanisms.   
• As countries use data and evidence to design more effective policies, they also need to strive to invest and get better in the capacity to implement them and deliver services, while leveraging partnerships. Without good implementation, good policies will remain as good intentions. Local capacities need to be harnessed through cooperation across all levels of government as well as partnerships between the public and private sector.

Selected compilation of knowledge resources with advice and lessons learned during the pandemic:

• 100 weeks into the pandemic: the importance of keeping schools open and investing in learning recovery programs , January 24
• Ensuring learning continuity during COVID-19-related school closures: lessons from remote learning experiences in over 45 countries , January 24
• The global education crisis – even more severe than previously estimated , January 4, 2022
• #AfricaACTs on education: The future of West and Central African children is being shaped in today’s schools , December 13
• The State of the Global Education Crisis: A Path to Recovery , December 11
• Recovering learning: from emergency response to rebuilding back better education for the future , Dec 9
• Ramping up recovery: How students and systems are tackling the new normal in education (MENA) , December 9
• Protecting and Building Africa’s Human Capital , December 1
• How COVID-19 is exacerbating inequality of opportunities in Latin America , November 23
• Five lessons from remote learning during COVID-19 , November 18
• The urgent need to focus on foundational skills , November 8
• 7 Steps to Facilitate Effective One-to-One Support for Teachers , October 28
• The kids are not alright: Three ways EdTech can support student’s wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond , October 7
• There will be no recovery without empowered, motivated and effective teachers , October 5
• Coach: Improving In-Service Teacher Professional Development , Sept 15
• The massive, yet invisible cost of keeping schools closed , August 26
• How to best support and protect young children during COVID-19? Some lessons learned , June 22
• Transforming how teachers use technology , June 2
• Getting back to learning: key policy actions for reopening schools , May 27
• Regional priorities for skills and technical education in the Eastern Caribbean States amid COVID-19 , May 13
• COVID-19 highlights the urgency of TVET reforms , April 15
• Mission: Recovering Education 2021 , March 29
• It is time to return to learning , March 24
• The urgency and opportunity to return to learning , January 24

PUBLICATIONS

• The State of the Global Education Crisis: A Path to Recovery , December 2021
• Twin reports : Remote Learning During the Global School Lockdown: Multi-Country Lessons and Remote Learning During COVID-19: Lessons from Today, Principles for Tomorrow, November 2021
• Building Evidence in Education , October 2021
• Steering Tertiary Education: Toward Resilient Systems that Deliver for All , September 2021
• What is Learning Poverty? , April 2021
• Mission: Recovering Education in 2021 , March 2021
• Better Jobs and Brighter Futures: Investing in Childcare to Build Human Capital , March 2021
• Education Finance Watch (EFW), February 2021
• Realizing the Future of Learning , January 2021
• Reimagining Human Connections: Technology and Innovation in Education at the World Bank , December 2020

GUIDANCE NOTES

• Policy Actions for School Reopening and Learning Recovery , May 2021
• Investing in the Early Years During COVID-19
• INCLUSIVE EDUCATION RESOURCE GUIDE: Ensuring Inclusion and Equity in Education
• Framework for Reopening Schools , April 2020

FOR MORE RESOURCES, VISIT

• World Bank Education and COVID-19
• World Bank Group Education homepage
• COVID-19 (coronavirus)

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International Day of Education: a great time to reflect on education transformation

Events such as the International Day of Education need to focus on one big idea to be memorable. The rallying cry of t his year’s International Day of Education is the need to forge a new social contract for education: “In these exceptional times, business as usual is no longer an option. If we are to transform the future, if we are to change course, we must rethink education. This means forging a new social contract for education.”

This message immediately brought back fond memories of my French literature teacher who was passionate about the Enlightenment and chose to spend a disproportionate percentage of teaching time on Rousseau, Voltaire and Diderot rather than the heavy guns of the following century, Balzac, Flaubert or Stendhal. As someone who has worked in education for over 30 years, I realise this was the choice of an enlightened teacher within a system that allowed him to deliver the compulsory national curriculum in his own way. He managed to engage us at the tender age of 16 with concepts such as Rousseau’s social contract, common will, common good and the nature of democracy. This was because of his passion for his subject, a desire to educate beyond learning about literature, and a wicked sense of humour.

We don’t often have the opportunity in our busy lives to take time to reflect on such big and essential ideas, which is why the International Day of Education is a good time to think about UNESCO’s message to forge a new social contract for education. It reminds us all, in this period of global disruption, of the essential role of education in addressing global issues, that education is a human right , that everyone has a right to quality education and that education must be strengthened as a public endeavour and a common good. 

While this message might sound quite idealistic and aspirational, it is underpinned by key principles on education transformation. One of these principles is the need for a society-wide commitment to include everyone in public discussions about education to strengthen education as a common good. This message is essential and brings us back from the realm of big ideas to the more mundane question of how to translate these big concepts into tangible change. 

The journey from aspirational national vision to effective policy decision, to visible change in classrooms and ultimately to the level of real impact on learners, is complex. It’s reminiscent of the children's game of ‘Pass the Message’ where an initial message passed through many different people inevitably ends up quite different from where it started. 

Since the beginning of the new millennium and the global commitment to achieve Education for All, there have been many examples of education reform programmes across the world, often with disappointing results despite the amount of effort and money spent. There has been a lot of discussion of education and reform, but limited academic debate around the key aspects of this practical journey from education policy to effective and sustainable change in schools and impact on learners’ outcomes. This is what makes the recent book Implementing Educational Reform so welcome. It provides a number of interesting education reform case studies over the past 20 years in a range of different countries, written by people who have been around and close to the action at some point. They describe the journey from initial vision and policy at national or regional level to implementation at classroom level. The book concludes with a set of principles aimed at policy makers to design better policies by taking the realities of implementation into consideration from the start.

In a podcast conversation with the two editors of the book I asked them about the main lessons they had learned from their analysis of all these case studies of education reform. They both agreed that, after context, communication is crucial: 

“Communication is fundamental to any system that involves lots of people who have a direct and meaningful investment in how the system operates, that’s parents, that’s teachers, that’s the children themselves, as well as community actors and politicians and tax payers and the likes. And because the process of education is so important, because it’s preparing the next generation of citizens, building a better society, a better economy, you have to be able to explain why you want to steer a system in a particular direction and if you don’t explain why you want to do that, it won’t happen (Alan Ruby).”

That brings us back to UNESCO’s call for a new social contract for education. It is a welcome reminder that education involves everyone and therefore everyone should be involved in developing a common vision for education as the first necessary step towards education transformation. 

So as part of the International Day of Education, let’s reflect on education transformation, support UNESCO’s call and use this opportunity to remember and celebrate education champions - the teachers. And for me, a special belated thanks to my French literature teacher back in the late 1970s!

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Read on to find out more about The International Day of Education, what it is, who it affects, and why you and everyone you know should care about it…

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International Day of Education

UNESCO , as the specialized United Nations agency for education, facilitates the annual observance of the Day ( 24 January) in close collaboration with main education actors. The adoption of the resolution 73/25 “ International Day of Education ”, co-authored by the UN Member States, demonstrated the unwavering political will to support transformative actions for inclusive, equitable and quality education for all. By doing so, the international community reiterated that education plays a key role in building sustainable and resilient societies, and contributes to the achievement of all other Sustainable Development Goals . With a view to enhance international cooperation in supporting the efforts towards the realization of Sustainable Development Goal 4 , the resolution called on all stakeholders including Member States, organizations of the UN system, and civil society, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, the private sector, individuals and other relevant stakeholders to observe the International Day of Education.

FORUM : International Day of Education 2021 " Recover and revitalize education for the COVID-19 generation . "

The International Education Day occurs in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that led to a global learning disruption of unprecedented scale and severity. The closure of schools, universities and other learning institutions, as well as the interruption of many literacy and lifelong learning programmes, has affected the lives of 1.6 billion students in over 190 countries. As a new year begins, now is the time to step up collaboration and international solidarity to place education and lifelong learning at the centre of the recovery and the transformation towards more inclusive, safe and sustainable societies.

Challenges to achieving universal education : Education offers children a ladder out of poverty and a path to a promising future. But about 265 million children and adolescents around the world do not have the opportunity to enter or complete school; 617 million children and adolescents cannot read and do basic math; less than 40% of girls in sub-Saharan Africa complete lower secondary school and some four million children and youth refugees are out of school. Their right to education is being violated and it is unacceptable. Without inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong opportunities for all, countries will not succeed in achieving gender equality and breaking the cycle of poverty that is leaving millions of children, youth and adults behind.

Statement by A ntónio Guterres (UN Secretary-General) on the occasion of the International Day of Education 2021 .

When education is interrupted, it affects everyone – especially students, teachers and families.

Today, on the third International Day of Education, I pay tribute to their resilience in the face of a pandemic that, at its peak, forced almost every school, institute and university to close its doors.

Although this disruption has led to learning innovations, it has also dashed hopes of a brighter future among vulnerable populations.

All of us pay the price.

After all, education is the foundation for expanding opportunities, transforming economies, fighting intolerance, protecting our planet and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

As the world continues to battle the pandemic, education – as a fundamental right and a global public good – must be protected to avert a generational catastrophe.

Even before the pandemic, some 258 million children and adolescents were out of school, the majority of them girls.

More than half of 10-year-olds in low- and middle-income countries were not learning to read a simple text.

In 2021, we must seize all opportunities to turn this situation around.

We must ensure the full replenishment of the Global Partnership for Education fund, and strengthen global education cooperation.

We must also step up our efforts to reimagine education – training teachers, bridging the digital divide and rethinking curricula to equip learners with the skills and knowledge to flourish in our rapidly changing world.

Let us commit to promote education for all — today and every day.

A ntónio Guterres .

Statement by Volkan Bozkir, President of the 75th session of the General Assembly on International Day of Educatio n 2021.

“This International Day of Education and Lifelong Learning is like no other, as we contend with the greatest disruption to education in the history of the United Nations.

Today, over 300 million students are out of school, and almost 1.6 billion learners have experienced a disruption in education as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

I commend all teachers, who have adapted their classrooms and undertaken remote lessons in order to ensure continuity in education. I also applaud parents, who have done their utmost to facilitate learning at home.

Above all, I am thinking of all students around the world who are struggling to learn at home, perhaps missing their friends, feeling frustrated or despondent about the future. Do not despair. You will get through this difficult period and you will pursue your dreams.

It is up to the Member States to ensure this becomes a reality. We need to take urgent action in this Decade of Action and Delivery to invest in our education systems, including improving access to technology so that we can recover from this tumultuous period.

If we are to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all, we need to build resilient, inclusive education systems that allow all students to return to school. To do so, we must meet the needs of those at risk of being left behind. Including children with disabilities and those living in conflict-affected areas, as well as the 11 million girls who are at risk of not re-entering the classroom.

Now is the time to re-commit to education.

I thank you”.

Volkan Bozkir .

CAMPAIGN: Leverage Partnerships and funds to transform education. Global Partnership for Education.

With funding of at least $5 billion, leveraging resources and targeting them where they will have the most transformative impact, An investment in GPE ripples out across sectors, generating impact for generations. Strong education systems accelerate progress on all 17 Sustainable Development Goals by boosting economies; driving gender equality and helping build more inclusive societies; promoting health, nutrition and well-being; and building resilience against shocks from climate change and conflict. GPE can catalyze real change. A fully funded GPE will deliver a disproportionate impact that goes far beyond our direct investments

International Day of Education 2021 "Recover and revitalize education for the COVID-19 generation"

The third International Day of Education (January 24) is marked on Monday 25 January 2021 under the theme ‘Recover and Revitalize Education for the COVID-19 Generation’ . A global virtual event is organized by UNESCO, in partnership with the Global Partnership for Education and the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies (CRI)

EVENT: Capturing the spirit of the International Day of Education, UNESCO and partners have spearheaded the Learning Planet Festival to Celebrate learning in all contexts and share innovations that fulfil the potential of every learner , no matter what their circumstances. The winners of an essay contest of “Le Petit Prince” will be unveiled as part of the Day’s celebrations.

PAST OBERVANCES

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF EDUCATION 2020 : Education as a key to peace and sustainable development .

This Day will highlight the urgency to mobilize funding for education; give voice to ' community heroes ' who acted to leave no learner behind during school closures and present innovations that pave the way towards more resilient and inclusive education systems. Show your support for education by raising your hand for education

Remarks by Mr.Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, the President of the UN General Assembly on Education as a key to peace and sustainable development: toward the implementation of SDG 4 - 2020 Annual Parliamentary Hearing at the UN.

(Part 1) Education as a key to peace and sustainable development: toward the implementation of SDG 4 - 2020 Annual Parliamentary Hearing at the UN

17 Feb 2020 - -Opening session: The 2020 Parliamentary Hearing and the 75th UN Anniversary (Mr. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, President of the 74th session of the General Assembly Ms. Gabriela Cuevas Barron, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union).

Education as a key to peace and sustainable development: Toward the implementation of SDG 4. Education has long been recognized as a necessary precondition for sustainable development in all its dimensions – economic, social and environmental. Without an educated people there can be no democracy, no peace and no prosperity. Yet still today too many girls and boys lack access to public education or education that delivers quality outcomes, and the agenda of lifelong education for all, including working-age adults, is far from realized.

(Part 2) Education as a key to peace and sustainable development: toward the implementation of SDG 4 - 2020 Annual Parliamentary Hearing at the UN .

17 Feb 2020 - - Education as a key instrument to empower women and girls (Beijing +25).

The poor, women and girls, migrants, people with disabilities and other marginalized groups have less access to educational opportunities than those who are better off. Around the world, education is often underfunded and unaffordable. While higher education is no longer a guarantee to a good job, in many countries there is a growing mismatch between workers’ knowledge and skills and actual employment opportunities in the real economy.

( Part 3) Education as a key to peace and sustainable development: toward the implementation of SDG 4 - 2020 Annual Parliamentary Hearing at the UN.

18 Feb 2020 - The United Nations in the twenty-first century.

The IPU is the global organization of national parliaments. It empowers parliaments and parliamentarians to promote peace, democracy and sustainable development. This joint IPU-UN hearing will call for greater political resolve to ensure that the Sustainable Development Goal on education, SDG 4, is fully realized by 2030. As a priority theme of the 74th General Assembly, education is an important part of a series of events at the United Nations that will include the observance of the International Day of Education on 24 January.

(Part 4) Education as a key to peace and sustainable development: toward the implementation of SDG 4 - 2020 Annual Parliamentary Hearing at the UN.

18 Feb 2020 - - Protecting our planet for future generations through education.

- Strengthening public funding for better outcomes in education.

- Closing session (Ms. Gabriela Cuevas Barron, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Mr. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, President of the 74th session of the General Assembly).

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF EDUCATION 2019; FIRST OBSERVANCE.

January 24th marks the inaugural celebration of the International Day of Education 2019 . The United Nations will observe the International Day of Education for the first time to emphasize the action required to achieve the global education goals and targets in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The celebration will raise awareness on the key role of quality and relevant education for peace and development worldwide, including its contribution to poverty eradication, environmental sustainability and building peaceful and resilient societies. The event will bring together the voices of governments, the UN system, private sector, civil society, faith-based organizations, teachers, academia and youth, united in their call to make education a leading global priority.

Launch of the International Day of Education .

Panel 1: Importance of International Day of Education to Global Development.

Panel 2: Facilitating Inclusive Education Through Technological Innovation.

Event co-organized by the Permanent Missions of Nigeria, Singapore, Ireland and Qatar to the United Nations, in partnership with UNESCO, UNICEF, UN Women and Collegiate Congress to promote the 24 January: International Day of Education.

Back International Day of Education

Credits: izusek (iStock)

On January 24, we celebrate the International Day of Education , instituted by the United Nations to underscore the role of education for peace and development. As January 24, 2021 is a Sunday, the day will be marked on Monday, January 25.

The Council of Europe’s Education Department marks the day by issuing a statement underlining the role of education in fostering democracy, human rights and the rule of law. Read the statement in English or French or watch the video (in English).

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Enfoque Educación

International Day of Peace: what is peace education and why is it important?

September 21, 2024 por Sonia Suarez Leave a Comment

By Sonia Suárez and Nathalie Alvarado

Youth violence is casting a shadow over Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), a region that faces some of the highest youth homicide rates in the world. In fact, young people aged 15-29 are tragically three times more likely to be victims of homicide than the global average, with the rate soaring to 18 per 100,000.

Youth violence is a complex issue influenced by various factors including (i) individual (childhood trauma and abuse, intrafamily violence, etc.), (ii) interpersonal and community (violent neighborhoods, criminal peers, presence of gangs, etc.), and (iii) social and institutional (poor education and job opportunities, weak government institutions, etc.). The consequences of youth violence include fatalities, injuries, disabilities, and lasting health issues, such as increase risky behaviors and mental health issues. Moreover, youth violence is correlated to higher school dropouts, adverse effects on cognitive development and reduced chances for young people to positively engage with their communities. 

While feeling safe at school increases academic achievement and school sense of belonging, a relevant portion of the students in the region participating in PISA 2022 reported they did not feel safe in their classroom (between 6% and 10%) or other places at school (between 8% and 14%). 

These challenges deeply affect student learning and the future potential of an entire generation. On this International Peace Day, it’s time to focus on breaking this cycle by promoting peace education.

What is peace education?

Peace education or Education for non-violence and peace involves training and skills that foster a culture of peace based on human rights. It not only provides knowledge, but also develops the skills and attitudes necessary for recognition and resolution of conflicts, and to actively promote peace and non-violence. Learning objectives include understanding violence, building capacities to respond constructively, and knowing alternatives to violence. More specifically, h ow can we empower youth with opportunities to foster peace and create a brighter future for LAC?

Global citizenship and peace education – Key strategies to thrive

For the IDB, global citizenship skills encompass a multifaceted understanding and engagement with the world, emphasizing a sense of belonging to a broader community and recognizing the interconnectedness between local, national, and global contexts, entailing cognitive, socioemotional, and behavioral dimensions. These skills are structured in four sets of skills (i) civic, (ii) gender and diversity, (iii) green citizenship, and (iv) human rights and peace.

A holistic approach in the learning process is essential to equip students with the deep understanding of responsibilities and agency they can have in improving their societies.  School systems can be powerful promoters of this process by teaching peace education both in curricula and extra-curricular activities and empower teachers to do so.

By learning about the principles of human rights, the origin of humanitarian law, methods for conflict resolution, understanding bias and strategies to promote peace, justice and tolerance, students also develop skills essential to thrive in the 21 Century. In this holistic process, peace education should walk hand in hand with the teaching of socio-emotional skills.   Mindfulness , empathy and compassion are great examples of these essential competences.

Empathy and compassion: capacities for a deep understanding at all levels

Empathy and compassion are vital skills for emotional and social development, motivating prosocial behaviors and effective conflict resolution, therefore are key to the promotion of peace at all levels and contexts. Empathy involves understanding others’ emotions, while compassion drives actions to alleviate their suffering. These skills can be developed through educational programs and interventions like mindfulness and emotional intelligence training and can also be measured.

In 2019 ERCE measured empathy in 6 th grade students using Likert-type items. They found that 6 th graders in the region report moderately high levels of empathy and that it is higher for female students (16 out of 16 countries), for those who attended preschool (5/16 countries) and for children with higher socioeconomic background (10/16 countries). Moreover, empathy tends to be low when student’s victimization in school (7/16 countries) or disruption in classroom are high (11/16 countries). The study highlights the potential that Latin American schools have to improve socioemotional skills if implemented as part of the education policy in the region.

Download empathy and compassion brief here!

Mindfulness: pay attention to the present moment without judgment

Although there is not much measure on mindfulness as there are in other 21st-century skills, the literature suggests that it has become more relevant over time. Mindfulness can be considered a peace-related skill because it is linked to self-awareness and self-regulation, so it is crucial for enhancing well-being. It also relates to improved learning and cognition, physical and mental health, emotional and behavioral awareness, which are key for people’s development and relevant for creating a non-violent environment. As with other skills, mindfulness can be developed from childhood through adulthood through different strategies within educational programs and practices such as meditation and yoga.

Download mindfulness brief here!

Stay tuned for more blogs on global citizenship skills. We will feature authors such as Enrique Chaux and Esperanza Torres Madroñero on peace education in contexts of transition from armed conflict in Latin-America.

This blog series is part of the Skills for Life Initiative, an Inter-American Development Bank effort to develop crucial competences among children and youth in Latin America and the Caribbean and address the skills gap deeply present in our region.  

Sonia Suarez

Sonia Suárez is an education specialist at the IDB’s Peru office. She holds a BA in Economics from the National University of Asuncion, and MA in quantitative, qualitative and psychometric methods from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Her area of ​​specialization is validation, assessment, and measurements. Before joining the IDB, she worked for the Paraguayan Ministry of Education and the Fund for Excellence of Education and Research (FEEI).

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