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In order to achieve Global Citizenship Education (GCED) until 2030, catalyzing global action is a priority for APCEIU. Cognizant of the strong support of institutions globally to put GCED into action, APCEIU has convened the 2016 APCEIU GCED Network Meeting in Seoul, Republic of Korea from 9-11 November 2016. Representatives from 36 organizations and institutions implementing and contributing to GCED gathered during the GCED Network Meeting to share their activities and explore potential ways of collaboration on promoting GCED. 

Mr Utak Chung, Director of APCEIU, in his opening remarks highlighted that, “This gathering comes at a most opportune time, to take a step further in the realization of GCED by exploring potential collaboration through forming human and institutional-network.” Mr Gwang Jo Kim, representing UNESCO Bangkok, the Regional Bureau of Education in the Asia-Pacific, underlined in his congratulatory remarks that it is, “Through partnerships and joint actions that we can maximize our support to countries and scale up our efforts to promote GCED.”

On the outset, the GCED Network Meeting showcased the diverse efforts of institutions globally in promoting GCED. Participating organizations and institutions highlighted the interconnectedness of GCED with related concepts including human rights, peace, cultural diversity and sustainable development, and how can the complementarities be explored. Furthermore, institutional presentation panels were divided based on the participating organization’s backgrounds; Intergovernmental Organizations, Research and Training Organizations, Civil Society Organizations, Higher Education Institutions, and Network Organizations. Each panel provided an opportunity to identify common work areas, synergies and possible areas of collaboration. 

Participants have commonly noted as well about the importance of aligning GCED activities to the Sustainable Development Goals, in which GCED is part of as Target 4.7, particularly through the development of monitoring mechanisms and indicators. Based on the results of the institutional presentation panels, participants discussed further to develop strategies for the GCED Network in various dimensions: Research and Policy Development; Capacity-Building of Educators; Information Dissemination and Material Development; Advocacy, and Partnerships and Networking. The discussion served as an opportunity to brainstorm on how the participating organizations can increase the impact of the GCED programmes, and how can the GCED Network support the overall promotion of GCED as well as dissemination of global education agenda. Ms Ann Therese Ndong Jatta, Director of UNESCO Nairobi, emphasized that GCED’s inclusion in the global agenda is a strong call for governments and stakeholders to be engaged in the promotion of GCED. She further praised the effort of APCEIU to put Education 2030 into action. 

Through a drafting committee from the participants, a final outcome statement with the subtitle “Partnerships for Global Citizenship Education towards 2030” was finalized by the representatives of institutions and organizations shortly after the end of the 2016 APCEIU GCED Network Meeting. The final outcome statement details the foundation of the establishment of an international network of institutions and organizations for the promotion of GCED and recommendations for the inclusive, holistic, systematic and sustainable promotion of GCED until 2030.

At the closing of the meeting, Mr Utak Chung expressed his gratitude to the participants and promised continuous support of APCEIU for strong collaboration with partners through the network. “We will continue to promote GCED in the future, and we look forward in working more actively with you, our partners, together through the GCED Network,” said Mr Chung. APCEIU will continue to promote GCED through the GCED Network, and plans to address the needs of various regions and stakeholder groups in 2017. 

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2016 APCEIU GCED Network Meeting: Catalyzing Global Action and Solidarity for GCED towards 2030 > APCEIU News - APCEIU (unescoapceiu.org)