Events

While increasing access to education is still a major challenge in many countries, improving the quality and relevance of education is now recognized as crucial – for the individual, for society and for the global community. Indeed, education is key to understanding and resolving global issues in their social, political, cultural, economic and environmental dimensions. In that context, UNRWA and UNESCO, two Agencies with global expertise and experience, strive to promote curricula and teaching practices that develop the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes necessary to establish and maintain peaceful, tolerant, inclusive, secure and sustainable societies. Building on its 70-year experience assisting countries to promote good quality education to all their citizens, UNESCO has been leading work on Global Citizenship Education (GCED) since the launch of the UN Secretary General’s Global Education First Initiative (GEFI) that made fostering global citizenship one of its education objectives. Following foundational and pioneering work on clarifying the conceptual underpinnings of GCED, UNESCO has developed pedagogical guidance on how to integrate GCED in both formal and non-formal education systems at country level. As for UNRWA, the Agency has been providing basic primary education to Palestine refugees for 65 years, with EU support, and has been running a Human Rights Education Programme for almost 15 years, aimed at promoting non-violence, healthy communication skills, peaceful conflict resolution, human rights, tolerance and good citizenship through classroom-focused tools. Now, these two UN Agencies are teaming up to further the discussion on how to provide better quality education and are co-organising a lab session on “Understanding and Implementing Global Citizenship Education” at the upcoming European Development Days. The session will be held on 4 June 2015 and will focus on two main issues: How should we define Global Citizenship Education? What are the main challenges and opportunities associated with its implementation? Dr. Caroline Pontefract, a UNESCO staff member currently working as UNRWA Director of Education will animate the discussion between the panelists and with the audience. Along with Mr. Chris Castle, Chief, Section of Health and Global Citizenship Education at UNESCO, and Ms. Ozlem Eskiocak, UNRWA Human Rights Education Programme Coordinator, she will frame the debate based on UNESCO’s recent report on Global Citizenship Education: Preparing learners for the challenges of the 21st century and on UNRWA’s experience teaching Human Rights in the Near East. Mr. Tristan McCowan from the University of London and Ms. Dina Kiwan from the American University of Beirut will bring a comparative perspective to the panel, discussing the different conceptual dimensions of GCED as well as the different ways global citizenship is addressed across the globe. Finally, a representative from the European Commission will provide the EU and institutional views on the importance of Global Citizenship Education. Registration and more information at http://www.eudevdays.eu. This session is co-organised by UNRWA and UNESCO, with the support of the European Union.