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The 21st century is witnessing global concern over the interrelated effects of climate change, the economic crisis, energy depletion, food and water shortages, natural disasters and conflicts all of which have devastating effects on humanity and the future of the planet. These events impact education systems and can impair the ability of governments to provide quality education for their citizens. However, when governments and ministries of education analyse and anticipate the risk of such events through careful planning, education can play an important role in preventing violent conflict, and in supporting peacebuilding efforts. An estimated 1.5 billion people live in countries affected by repeated cycles of political and other forms of violence, and the same population is often affected by hunger and poverty. Furthermore, such countries have difficulty meeting development goals. For example, no low-income fragile or conflict-affected country has yet achieved a single MDG (World Bank, 2011). In 2010 world military expenditures reached US$1.6 trillion as a result of fifteen ongoing conflicts (SIPRI, 2011). Yet, it is estimated that only US$16 billion is needed to fill the education gap to reach the EFA goals (UNESCO, 2011b: 11). This paper argues that we have the knowledge, legal instruments and mechanisms to prevent conflict and to transfer resources to sustainable development and education to meet the challenges of the 21st century. The paper describes a range of conflict prevention initiatives and examines the role of policy-makers, youth, women, and the media in maintaining and restoring peace as part of a holistic vision of education. International institutions, governments and civil society are increasingly developing conflict prevention mechanisms and utilizing political and economic incentives to avoid conflicts. They are also creating new technology for sustainable development, adaptation to climate change and renewable forms of energy. Educational planning must therefore go beyond traditional mechanisms. It must take into consideration the unpredictable nature of our times; be flexible and rapid in implementation and responsive to local needs. Training and research in sustainable development; and skills for peaceful inter-human relations, good governance, the prevention of conflict and peacebuilding are priorities elaborated in the paper. In addition, specific recommendations are highlighted such as: capacity development for conflict prevention within the education sector and other ministries, analysing the root causes of conflict and the role that education can play in mitigating tensions. This paper is an elaboration of Chapter 1.2 of the IIEP-UNESCO Guidebook for Planning Education in Emergencies and Reconstruction (IIEP-UNESCO, 2010). A brief treatment of additional global challenges (e.g. water scarcity, food insufficiency, energy depletion and economic instability), which are beyond the educational focus of this paper, may be found in Annex I.