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The United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005 – 2014) __________.
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The United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005 – 2014)__________
“Education - in all its forms and at all levels - is not only an end in itself but is also one of the most powerful instruments we have for bringing about the changes required to achieve sustainable development. ” Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General of UNESCO
Why education for sustainable development? If we could turn the population of the earth into a small community of 100 people, keeping the same proportions we have today, there would be: 61 Asians, 12 Europeans, 14 Americans, 13 Africans, 1 Australian 50 women, 50 men 33 Christians, 18 Muslims,16 Hindus, 6 Buddhists, 11 practising other religions, and 16 are non- religious
Why education for sustainable development? • 6 people own 59% of the entire wealth of the community 17 females and 8 males live in abject poverty 70 % of the work of the village would be done by women but they would only be paid 10 % of the village’s revenue • 70 are illiterate, only 1 person has a university degree • Of the 23 children aged 5-14 years, 6 are working, 3 of them working full-time and receiving no education And this miniature earth is marked by, for example: deforestation, half of the world’s forests destroyed difficult access to safe drinking water • many indigenous languages threatened by extinction
Why education for sustainable development? This perspective – the miniature earth – reveals the needs for change and for education to face the challenges of our century, and meet the objectives of sustainability.
Why education for sustainable development? • HISTORICAL BACKGROUND • 1987-2002: Emergence, then definition of concept • of sustainable development • 1992: Rio Earth World Summit • UNESCO received the responsibility for implementing the Agenda 21’s Chapter 35, Science for sustainable development, and Chapter 36, Promoting education, public awareness and training.
Why education for sustainable development? • HISTORICAL BACKGROUND (2) • December 2002: resolution 57/254 of the General • Assembly of the United Nations • - proclaims the UN Decade of Education for • Sustainable Development, 2005-2014 • - designates UNESCO as the lead agency for • the promotion of the Decade
3 pillars of Sustainable Development • Social perspectives • Environmental perspectives • Economic perspectives With culture as an underlying dimension
What is education for sustainable development? • A new vision of education • An education empowering people to commit themselves to sustainability • An education for democracy • An education at all levels of education systems, using all modalities, and in all social contexts The practice of values
Respect for: • dignity and human rights of all people • rights of future generations and inter-generational responsibility • the greater community of life (eco-systems) • cultural diversity and a commitment to build peace
Which vision of education for sustainable development ? 4 main thrusts • Promoting and improving basic education • Reorienting educational programs • Building public understanding and awareness • Providing practical training
What are the key education initiatives? • Millenium Development Goals, MDGs • Education for All, EFA • United Nations Literacy Decade, UNLD • United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, DESD
Commonalities among initiatives Four initiatives with: • A common vision: Education is an important key to development • A common wiil: to promote human rights • A common requirement : to enhance full participation of all stakeholders
Complementarity of the initiatives Four initiatives, four specificities: • MDGs, to reduce poverty in its many aspects • EFA, to provide access to quality education for all children and adults • UNLD, to contribute to meeting the objectives of EFA and DESD. • Education for sustainable development – to give the quality dimension in all education a particular orientation
Quality ESD - learner level • Seeks out learners • Acknowledges what learner brings • Considers content of formal,non-formal and informal learning • Addresses educational processes • Provides conducive learning environment
Quality ESD - system level • Structures management and administration to support learning • Implements good policies • Enacts appropriate legislation • Restructures resources for learning • Measures learning outcomes - knowledge, skills, values, behaviours
“Our biggest challenge in this new century is to take an idea that seems abstract – sustainable development – and turn it into a reality fo all the world’s people. ”Kofi AnnanSecretary-General of the United Nations