Events

30 November 2023

Yunus Thailand Global Citizenship Education and Social Entrepreneurship Workshop

30 November 2023 - 10:30 am - 30 November 2023 - 1:30 pm

Location: Bangkok, Thailand

Rooms: Bangkok, Thailand

Type: Cat VII – Seminar and training

Arrangement type: Hybrid

he link between Global Citizenship Education (GCED) and social entrepreneurship lies in their shared goal of creating a more equitable and sustainable world. Both approaches empower individuals to take action, think critically, and contribute to positive social change. In addition, by integrating GCED principles into social entrepreneurship initiatives, we can nurture a new generation of socially conscious entrepreneurs who prioritize the well-being of communities and the planet.

In the context of climate change and massive biodiversity loss; the prevalence of poverty and inequality throughout many societies, as well as a host of other global challenges, a sense of urgency to prioritize impact-driven and locally-appropriate solutions is characteristic of our post-pandemic times, with education as a key leverage point. 

Building on the principles of Global Citizenship Education and Social Business, the UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok, in partnership with the non-profit foundation, Yunus Thailand, will host ‘Cultivating Active Global Citizens: A Youth Workshop on Social Entrepreneurship in the Asia-Pacific Region’, on 30 November 2023, in Bangkok. The workshop will highlight the connection between GCED, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), and social entrepreneurship education, fostering a holistic approach to addressing social and environmental challenges. By empowering individuals with the knowledge, skills, and values of GCED, while nurturing their entrepreneurial spirit, we can create a more inclusive and sustainable future for all.

Why Social Entrepreneurship Education?

Social entrepreneurship education challenges learners to understand local and global problems, and to ideate and design human-centered solutions following social business approaches. Given the problem-specific and solution-oriented nature of entrepreneurial thinking, social entrepreneurship education can drive some of the cognitive, socio-emotional, and behavioural competencies for sustainable development and global citizenship, among them community-oriented and intercultural understanding; interdisciplinary learning and systems thinking; critical thinking, creativity, and problem solving; the cultivation of a mindset adept at identifying opportunities, taking calculated risks, and designing social-business solutions; an openness to collaboration and community engagement; and the ability to engage in evaluation and impact measurement.

Expected Results

• Increased understanding of the synergies between GCED, ESD and social entrepreneurship. 
• Insights of participants on enhancing skills development for social entrepreneurship projects and education initiatives. 
• Creation of a network of like-minded individuals and organizations committed to GCED and social entrepreneurship. 
• Exchange of innovative strategies and initiatives that combine GCED and social entrepreneurship to address local and global challenges. 

Participants

This workshop is an invitation-only event for youth participants from the Asia-Pacific region. Additionally, members of the UNESCO Bangkok GCED Asia-Pacific Regional Network and other education practitioners will also be invited to enrich the discussions. Certificates of participation will be awarded to all youth attendees.

Date and Time

30 November 2023, 10.30–13.30  (GMT+7) 

Modality and language

The workshop will be conducted in a hybrid format. Participants in Thailand will have the opportunity to join in-person sessions, while individuals unable to attend in person are welcome to join online sessions. Please note that the workshop will be conducted in English. 

Venues

UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok (UNESCO Bangkok); Zoom Conferencing

Provisional Agenda

10.30–10.50

Opening  

Welcome Remarks (6 min)  

• Ms Faryal Khan, Programme Specialist, Educational Innovation and Skills Development (EISD), UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok 
• Mr Callum Mackenzie, Co-founder and Managing Director, Yunus Thailand  

Introductory Presentation (10 min)  

Photo Session 

10.50–11.05

Icebreaker: Mapping Sustainable Development Challenges and Opportunities in Asia-Pacific   

• Mr Jonathan Brenes, Ms Pavini Sethi and Ms Nishikah Kukreja, Yunus Thailand 

11.05–11.25 

Global Citizenship and Social Entrepreneurship as Pathways for Solutions  

Understanding SDG Target 4.7, with a focus on GCED  

• Ms Ling Tan, Education Officer, Educational Innovation and Skills Development (EISD), UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok 

Understanding Social Entrepreneurship 

• Mr Jonathan Brenes, Ms Pavini Sethi, and Ms Nishikah Kukreja, Yunus Thailand  

11.25–11.55 

Showcasing Youth-Led Entrepreneurial impact solutions  

• Youth Speaker 1  
• Youth Speaker 2  

Q&A  

11.55–12.30  

Breakout Exercise: Sharing Local Contexts of SDG Challenges & Ideating Global Entrepreneurial Solutions  

• Ms Ling Tan and Ms Danting Cai, Educational Innovation and Skills Development (EISD), UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok 
• Mr Jonathan Brenes, Ms Pavini Sethi, and Ms Nishikah Kukreja, Yunus Thailand  

12.30–13.00 

Breakout Exercise: Identifying Support and Skills Needed, Opportunities & Gaps  

• Ms Ling Tan and Ms Danting Cai, UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok 
• Mr Jonathan Brenes, Ms Pavini Sethi, and Ms Nishikah Kukreja, Yunus Thailand  

13.00–13.20 

Plenary Discussion 

• Moderator: Mr Jonathan Brenes, Yunus Thailand 

13.20–13.30  

Closing Remarks 

• Ms Faryal Khan, Programme Specialist, Educational Innovation and Skills Development (EISD), UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok 

https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/workshop-unesco-highlight-links-between-global-citizenship-education-education-sustainable?hub=68184