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UNESCO organized a regional webinar on the impact of COVID-19 on the Higher Education sector in the Arab region 2020-05-24 The COVID-19 outbreak has translated into a major education crisis, causing school and university closure worldwide and disruption of regular education services. In the Arab region, where 13 million children and youth are already out-of-school due to conflict, an additional 100 million learners are now affected by school and university interruption. While many Arab countries have developed distance/remote learning solutions to ensure that learning never stops, major concerns remain as to the implications and effectiveness of distance learning modalities. And while many countries, including in the Arab region, see school and university reopening as desirable for the near future, decisions about Catch Up modalities and the organization of the new academic year (2020/2021) are still to be taken. Against this backdrop, and in the context of the UNESCO’s education response to the COVID-19 pandemic, UNESCO Regional Bureau for Education in the Arab States (UNESCO Beirut) organized on 21 May 2020 a regional webinar about the impact of COVID-19 on the Higher Education sector and the way forward. The webinar was attended by 30 university rectors from Palestine, Tunisia, Yemen, Syria, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Libya, Mauritania, Jordan. The webinar aimed in particular to facilitate the sharing of experience and good practices among Arab universities, and to explore ways to effectively mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the Higher Education sector in the Arab region. In the opening of the webinar, Dr Anasse Bouhlal, UNESCO Beirut’s Programme Specialist for Higher Education, presented an overview of UNESCO’s education response to the COVID-19 crisis. He said: “With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, UNESCO Beirut scaled up efforts to assist Member States in responding to the crisis and developing alternative solutions to school and university closure, so that learning does not stop. The Higher Education sector sent a circular to the Ministries of Education and Higher Education in the region to offer ideas, suggestions, and recommendations on universities’ response to the crisis, and modalities to adapt university curricula and assessment methods to the current circumstances. We also organized, in partnership with UNESCO Regional Bureau for Education in Asia-Pacific (UNESCO Bangkok), an inter-regional webinar on the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the Higher Education sector in both regions”. Dr Bouhlal added: “Today’s webinar aims to allow for a sharing of experiences, success stories, and best practices among Arab universities, and to allow us to think of the future of education. We also reiterate UNESCO Beirut’s readiness to provide technical assistance to Member States in coping with this crisis”. Then, each university rector presented a brief overview of the challenges remote learning posed, including in terms of teachers’ preparedness for this kind of teaching and assessment modalities. Rectors also presented their university’s plan for reopening and the measures to be taken to ensure students’ health. The webinar allowed for an open debate among participants. At the end of the webinar, Dr Bouhlal offered ideas and suggestions for potential cooperation between UNESCO and Higher Education institutions in the Arab region. URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/unesco-organized-regional-webinar-impact-covid-19-higher-education-sector-arab-region

اليونسكو تنظم ندوة عبر الانترنت حول "المهارات المطلوبة في قطاع المياه في لبنان: لمحة عامة عن الاحتياجات بعد كوفيد-19" 2020-05-20 In the first months of 2020, the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has created significant challenges for governments worldwide. And while the response to the pandemic has been multifaceted, Healthcare and Education were among the top priorities of governments' responses. Lebanon, like most of the Arab countries, faces significant socio-economic challenges such as a high unemployment rate, particularly among youth, leading many young people to feel frustrated and disengaged. The COVID-19 crisis is expected to exacerbate economic challenges in countries affected by the pandemic, leading to more unemployment among the youth. Against this backdrop, and in the context of the Youth Employment in the Mediterranean Project (YEM)[1], UNESCO Beirut organized on 12 May 2020 a national webinar on “The Skills in the Water Sector in Lebanon: Overview of the needs after COVID – 19”. The webinar, which was attended by 60 participants representing the public and private sector in Lebanon, as well as youth organizations, aimed at exploring the value chain of the Water sector in Lebanon, the occupations, jobs and skills needed in this sector, as well as at allowing the youth to share their concerns. The webinar was attended by high-level personalities, including Ms Maria El Hassrouni, Programme Manager for TVET and Local Development at the Delegation of the European Union to Lebanon; Mr Rizk Rizk, Director General of the Bekaa Water Establishment; Dr Mohammad Abou Haidar, Advisor for the Director General of TVET at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. The event started with the welcome remarks by Mr Oussama Ghneim, Team leader of YEM project, who highlighted the three components of the project, and shed light on the importance of anticipating skills in the Curriculum development in TVET. Then, Mr Salim Shehadeh, UNESCO Beirut’s Programme Specialist for TVET, made a speech in which he highlighted that “employment and employability, especially for young people, is a common priority for the YEM countries”. He explained that technological change, globalization and demographic changes have an impact on labour markets and education and training systems, and that there is broad consensus on the importance of anticipating labour market needs in order to match the skills taught in the education system with the skills needed in the labour market. Mr Shehadeh said that after COVID-19, an opportunity presents itself to TVET providers in the Water sector to develop strategies, establish partnerships with the private sector, review the curricula, train the teachers, coach and monitor the implementation of different activities and programs, hence the relevance of the webinar organized by UNESCO. In her turn, Ms El Hassrouni assured that the European Union supports TVET in Lebanon through a variety of initiatives and programmes, including the YEM Project. She highlighted that the Delegation of the European Union to Lebanon is committed to supporting the Water sector in Lebanon and mentioned that the European Union spent 100 million EUR to this end. The European Union is planning to support the operations of the water establishments with a specific response package of approximately EUR 10 million in the future to ensure that service levels will be guaranteed during Covid-19 as the Water sector is key for reducing the transmission of the virus. Then, Dr Abou Haidar praised UNESCO for organizing this timely webinar, given that the water sector can provide solutions to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Abou Haidar stressed on the need for a better understanding of the occupations and skills needed in the water sector, and spoke of the commitment of the Directorate General for TVET to work with all public and private stakeholders to develop and strengthen the TVET sector in Lebanon. This was followed by a series of presentations. Mr Walid El Baba, Managing Director at WEBCO SARL, presented an overview of the value chain and occupations in the water sector in Lebanon. Mr El Baba highlighted that SDG6 stipulates that “safe and affordable drinking water for all by 2030 requires to invest in adequate infrastructure, provide sanitation facilities and encourage hygiene”. Stating that “It is time to put more efforts and investment in our human resources mainly in skilled technicians for a clean water system”, he said that the following skills are needed in the Water sector: “Plumbers, welders for steel and plastic pipes, fitters for special jointing like grooved for big pipes diameters, electricians (for motors, contactors, relays etc..), electronic technicians for control, automation, instrumentation and chemical technicians for water analysis, chemical dosing products etc..”. Then Mr Rizk, Director General of the Bekaa Water Establishment, presented an overview of the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the water sector. He explained that “the COVID-19 crisis led to a change in work modalities in the water sector: when we adopted remote working, we discovered the need for new skills and specializations”. Mr Rizk mentioned that the sector needs specialists who master the following tools and technologies: Water Balance, the GIS system, SWMS and SCADA systems. He also stated that specialists are needed to develop and manage the Call Center of the Bekaa Water Establishment, and the e-payment modalities. Mr Wadih Yared, Materials Scientist and Technical Consultant at API, spoke of the challenges in terms of skills needed from the point of view of the private sector. After a brief introduction of API’s profile and vision for the future, Mr Yared presented Lebanese manufacturing capabilities in the area of Water and highlighted potential employment opportunities. He stressed on the importance of sound scientific knowledge in the field of plastics processing and on the role and importance of operators, engineers and installers. Mr Yared insisted on the need for a well-trained and educated workforce, while stressing the importance of self-awareness and respect for the world around us as key factors for both success and survival in this delicate environment we live in. Mr Georges Honein, Power & Control Manager at Phoenix Machinery, gave an overview of the Water Management System and the occupations and skills needed. He explained that: “ Water supply represents a vital problem for people, and this imposes the need to know the information regarding consumptions, resources and production. This implies a continuous supervision of the water supply process in order to allow any problem that could appear to be solved, and in the same time, to maintain normal functioning parameters”. Mr Honein added: “Proper solutions imply automation and monitoring architectures which contain: a supervision and control system for the real time installation, programmable logic controllers with Wireless feature communication and dedicated field devices as level, pressure and water quality sensors, power meter, drives and safety equipment. The informatics systems present the possibility of analyzing, processing, storing and retrieving the data, leading to an optimum functioning and reducing the operation costs. In this way, the automated system monitor and control the technological parameters in the water distribution stations, which will allow the optimum functioning of the pumping system, safety and endurance growth in the equipment and efficient energy usage”. Mr Youssef Ghantous, Secretary General of LSES NGO, presented the work of a youth NGO. Mr Ghantous said: “Water and energy are related in many aspects. Both are resources that are dwindling with the unplanned behavior of the humans. Energy is important for water availability and water can be the source of energy. On the other hand, if well planned they can be both a source of sustainable development and can provide employment opportunities for the youth if the proper capacity building is provided for them”. He added that: “LSES focuses on advocating the use of Renewable Energy and Sustainability in Lebanon. It has been involved in many projects that combine sustainability with job creation in the energy and water sectors such as solar pumping and solar water heating.” Mr Ghantous stated that “there are still many opportunities to develop youth knowledge in these areas, and cooperation and coordination are required among all local and international stakeholders to achieve this objective”. Lastly, Mrs Samar Boulos, General Manager at Safadi Foundation, gave an overview of the youth’s understanding of the water sector in Lebanon based on an online rapid assessment conducted by Safadi Foundation and aimed at studying the skills needed in this sector and looking at the point of view of youth regarding the water sector projects and job opportunities in Lebanon. Mrs Boulos presented the findings of this assessment as follows: “In general the youth have limited understanding and knowledge of the sector since most of them assumed that the Lebanese government is the one responsible of the sector exclusively and that despite the abundance of water residents are still paying to get water services. 65% of youth are aware of some implemented projects in Lebanon under the water sector, while 76% of youth considered that the water sector is open to creating job opportunities, however, their perception of needed skills in this sector revealed a limited knowledge of the sector, whilst 70% of youth expressed their interest in working in the water sector.” Mrs Boulos said that the Safadi Foundation as a highly experienced TVET provider, recommends the following: “Promoting Green TVET and training youth on new and emerging operating technologies; developing a demand-driven curriculum; conducting awareness-raising activities regarding the water industry; building networking including among students, trainers, and employers; and developing a learning environment by providing new technologies”. The presentations were followed by an interactive and lively discussion between participants who shared their concerns and spoke of the challenges the water sector faces. [1] The YEM Project is a 36-month regional project funded by the European Union and implemented by UNESCO over the period of 2018-2020, with an overall objective to support national authorities, the private sector, TVET providers and youth organizations in the South Mediterranean region in understanding and anticipating labour market changes with a view to inform the design, implementation and evaluation of relevant TVET policies, strategies and programmes, aimed at increasing youth employment and entrepreneurship. URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/skills-water-sector-lebanon-overview-needs-after-covid-19#_ftnref1

نصائح من "الصحة العالمية" لمواجهة العنف المنزلي في زمن كورونا 2020-05-13 ناشدت منظمة الصحة العالمية المواطنين على مستوى العالم، بالحفاظ على هدوئهم والحد من سلوكيات العنف المنزلي في ظل انتشار فيروس كورونا المستجد (كوفيد 19)، بسبب القيود المفروضة على الحركة والتحديات الاقتصادية الحالية. وذكرت "الصحة العالمية" في منشور لها على "فيسبوك": "تذكّر فضل شهر رمضان الكريم لتكون عطوفًا في تعاملك". وطالبت المواطنين بالنصائح التالية: التحدث البنّاء ضد العنف. دعم الناجين من كورونا حتى يصلوا إلى الخدمات ويلتمسوا المساعدة. ضمان سياسات حماية الطفل، وفي حال وقوع عنف وإيذاء ضد الأطفال تعرف على محتوى البلاغ وكيفيفة التبليغ ولمن ستبلغه. URL:https://extranews.tv/extra/category/40/topic

نهيان بن مبارك يشيد بدعوة "الأخوة الإنسانية" لصلاة 2020-05-11 أشاد الشيخ نهيان بن مبارك آل نهيان وزير التسامح الإماراتي بالدعوة التي أطلقتها اللجنة العليا للأخوة الإنسانية إلى كل الشعوب في جميع أنحاء العالم، للتوجه إلى الله بالصلاة يوم 14 مايو/أيار الجاري، من أجل أن يرفع الله وباء "كورونا". كبير حاخامات بولندا يشارك في الصلاة من أجل الإنسانية وأكد أن دعم الشيخ محمد بن زايد آل نهيان ولي عهد أبوظبي نائب القائد الأعلى للقوات المسلحة الإماراتية، لهذه المبادرة المهمة، كان بمثابة قوة دفع كبيرة لها، وبداية لمشاركة كبار الشخصيات على مستوى العالم فيها. وقال الشيخ نهيان بن مبارك آل نهيان إن وزارة التسامح ستشارك في هذا اليوم باستنفار كل طاقتها ودعوة شركائها والجمهور العام، للمشاركة في هذه الصلاة. وأكد أن الوزارة ستوجه الدعوة إلى العاملين في المؤسسات الحكومية والخاصة، وإلى الأسرة، وإلى الشباب وطلبة المدارس والجامعات وجميع أعضاء الجاليات المقيمة على أرض الإمارات، للمشاركة في هذه الصلاة، كل حسب معتقده. إلى جانب تنظيم جلسه افتراضية يشارك فيها العلماء ورجال الأديان المختلفة، ليدعو كل منهم الله سبحانه وتعالى، بلغته ومعتقده، كي يزيل البلاء عن العالم، مع فتح موقع الوزارة الإلكتروني على الهواء مباشرة أمام الجميع، لكي يشارك جميع أتباع الديانات المختلفة، بالصلاة والدعاء إلى الخالق جل وعلا. وأوضح الشيخ نهيان بن مبارك آل نهيان أن الوزارة ستتيح الفرصة أيضاً أمام جميع السكان، لكي يضعوا أدعيتهم، سواء من خلال كلمات مأثورة أو فيديو، على موقع الوزارة طوال هذا اليوم. وذكر أن تلبية دعوة اللجنة العليا للأخوة الإنسانية من قادة العالم وعلمائه ومؤسساته وشعوبه، إنما تعبر عن حالة من التوحد حول الجانب الإيماني لدى الإنسان، حتى تزول هذه الجائحة، التي أثرت على حياة كل إنسان على هذا الكوكب، وأثارت كثيراً من الشكوك حول المستقبل، مؤكداً أن الإيمان هو باب الأمل للجميع. وعبر الشيخ نهيان بن مبارك آل نهيان عن اعتزازه الكبير بهذه المبادرة الإنسانية الرائعة، التي انطلقت من إمارات الخير والتسامح والأخوة الإنسانية، من خلال اللجنة التي تتخذ من أبوظبي مقراً لها، والمنبثقة عن "وثيقة الأخوة الإنسانية من أجل السلام العالمي والعيش المشترك". وأضاف أن الصلاة فرصة رائعة أمام العالم كله، لكي نؤكد من خلالها معاً أن التسامح والتعايش والأخوة الإنسانية هي السبيل دائماً، لتجاوز الأزمات، وحل المشكلات، والتعاون المشترك في مواجهة التحديات الكبرى أمام البشر. URL:https://al-ain.com/article/nahyan-bin-mubarak-human-brotherhood-prayer

Yuval Noah Harari: “Every crisis is also an opportunity” 2020-05-07 In an interview with the UNESCO Courier, Yuval Noah Harari, Israeli historian and author of Sapiens, Homo Deus, and 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, analyses what the consequences of the current coronavirus health crisis are likely to be, and underlines the need for greater international scientific co-operation and information-sharing between countries. How is this global health pandemic different from past health crises and what does it tell us? I am not sure it is the worst global health threat we have faced. The influenza epidemic of 1918-1919 was worse, the AIDS epidemic was probably worse, and pandemics in previous eras were certainly far worse. As pandemics go, this is actually a mild one. In the early 1980s, if you got AIDS – you died. The Black Death [the plague that ravaged Europe between 1347 and 1351] killed between a quarter and half of the affected populations. The 1918 influenza killed more than ten per cent of the entire population in some countries. In contrast, COVID-19 is killing less than five per cent of those infected, and unless some dangerous mutation occurs, it is unlikely to kill more than one per cent of the population of any country. Moreover, in contrast to previous eras, we now have all the scientific knowledge and technological tools necessary to overcome this plague. When the Black Death struck, people were completely helpless. They never discovered what was killing them and what could be done about it. In 1348, the medical faculty of the University of Paris believed that the epidemic was caused by an astrological misfortune – namely that “a major conjunction of three planets in Aquarius [caused] a deadly corruption of the air” (quoted in Rosemary Horrox ed. The Black Death, Manchester University Press, 1994, p. 159). In contrast, when COVID-19 erupted, it took scientists only two weeks to correctly identify the virus responsible for the epidemic, sequence its entire genome, and develop reliable tests for the disease. We know what to do in order to stop the spread of this epidemic. It is likely that within a year or two, we will also have a vaccine. However, COVID-19 is not just a health-care crisis. It also results in a huge economic and political crisis. I am less afraid of the virus than of the inner demons of humankind: hatred, greed and ignorance. If people blame the epidemic on foreigners and minorities; if greedy businesses care only about their profits; and if we believe all kinds of conspiracy theories – it will be much harder to overcome this epidemic, and later on we will live in a world poisoned by this hatred, greed and ignorance. In contrast, if we react to the epidemic with global solidarity and generosity, and if we trust in science rather than in conspiracy theories, I am sure we can not only overcome this crisis, but actually come out of it much stronger. To what extent could social distancing become the norm? What effect will that have on societies? For the duration of the crisis, some social distancing is inevitable. The virus spreads by exploiting our best human instincts. We are social animals. We like contact, especially in hard times. And when relatives, friends or neighbours are sick, our compassion arises and we want to come and help them. The virus is using this against us. This is how it spreads. So we need to act from the head rather than the heart, and despite the difficulties, reduce our level of contact. Whereas the virus is a mindless piece of genetic information, we humans have a mind, we can analyse the situation rationally, and we can vary the way we behave. I believe that once the crisis is over, we will not see any long-term effects on our basic human instincts. We will still be social animals. We will still love contact. We will still come to help friends and relatives. Look, for example, at what happened to the LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered] community in the wake of AIDS. It was a terrible epidemic, and gay people were often completely abandoned by the state, and yet the epidemic did not cause the disintegration of that community. Just the opposite. Already, at the height of the crisis, LGBT volunteers established many new organizations to help sick people, to spread reliable information, and to fight for political rights. In the 1990s, after the worst years of the AIDS epidemic, the LGBT community in many countries was much stronger than before. How do you see the state of scientific and information co-operation after the crisis? UNESCO was created after the Second World War to promote scientific and intellectual co-operation through the free flow of ideas. Could the "free flow of ideas" and co-operation between countries be strengthened as a result of the crisis? Our biggest advantage over the virus is our ability to co-operate effectively. A virus in China and a virus in the United States cannot swap tips about how to infect humans. But China can teach the US many valuable lessons about coronavirus and how to deal with it. More than that – China can actually send experts and equipment to directly help the US, and the US can similarly help other countries. The viruses cannot do anything like that. And of all forms of co-operation, the sharing of information is probably the most important, because you cannot do anything without accurate information. You cannot develop medicines and vaccines without reliable information. Indeed, even isolation depends on information. If you don’t understand how a disease spreads, how can you quarantine people against it? For example, isolation against AIDS is very different from isolation against COVID-19. To isolate yourself against AIDS, you need to use a condom while having sex, but there is no problem talking face to face with an HIV+ person – or shaking their hands and even hugging them. COVID-19 is an entirely different story. To know how to isolate yourself from a particular epidemic, you first need reliable information about what causes this epidemic. Is it viruses or bacteria? Is it transmitted through blood or breath? Does it endanger children or the elderly? Is there just one strain of the virus, or several mutant strains? In recent years, authoritarian and populist politicians have sought not only to block the free flow of information, but even to undermine the public’s trust in science. Some politicians depicted scientists as a sinister elite, disconnected from “the people”. These politicians told their followers not to believe what scientists are saying about climate change, or even about vaccinations. It should now be obvious to everyone how dangerous such populist messages are. In a time of crisis, we need information to flow openly, and we need people to trust scientific experts rather than political demagogues. Fortunately, in the current emergency most people indeed turn to science. The Catholic Church instructs the faithful to stay away from the churches. Israel has closed down its synagogues. The Islamic Republic of Iran is punishing people who go to mosques. Temples and sects of all kinds have suspended public ceremonies. And all because scientists have made some calculations and recommended closing down these holy places. I hope that people will remember the importance of trustworthy scientific information even after this crisis is over. If we want to enjoy trustworthy scientific information in a time of emergency, we must invest in it in normal times. Scientific information doesn’t come down from heaven, nor does it spring from the mind of individual geniuses. It depends on having strong independent institutions like universities, hospitals and newspapers. Institutions that not only research the truth, but are also free to tell people the truth, without being afraid of being punished by some authoritarian government. It takes years to build such institutions. But it is worth it. A society that provides citizens with a good scientific education, and that is served by strong independent institutions, can deal with an epidemic far better than a brutal dictatorship that has to constantly police an ignorant population. For example, how do you make millions of people wash their hands with soap every day? One way to do it is to place a policeman, or perhaps a camera, in every toilet, and punish people who fail to wash their hands. Another way is to teach people in school about viruses and bacteria, explain that soap can remove or kill these pathogens, and then trust people to make up their own minds. What do you think, which method is more efficient? How important is it for countries to work together to disseminate reliable information? Countries need to share trustworthy information not only about narrow medical issues, but also about a wide range of other issues – from the economic impact of the crisis to the psychological condition of citizens. Suppose country X is currently debating which kind of lockdown policy to adopt. It has to take into consideration not only the spread of the disease, but also the economic and psychological costs of lockdown. Other countries have already faced this dilemma before, and tried different policies. Instead of acting on the basis of pure speculations and repeating past mistakes, country X can examine what were the actual consequences of the different policies adopted in China, the Republic of Korea, Sweden, Italy and the United Kingdom. It can thereby make better decisions. But only if all these countries honestly report not just the number of sick and dead people, but also what happened to their economies and to the mental health of their citizens. The rise of AI and the need for technical solutions has seen private companies come forward. In this context, is it still possible to develop global ethical principles and restore international co-operation? As private companies get involved, it becomes even more important to craft global ethical principles and restore international co-operation. Some private companies may be motivated by greed more than solidarity, so they must be regulated carefully. Even those acting benevolently are not directly accountable to the public, so it is dangerous to allow them to accumulate too much power. This is particularly true when talking about surveillance. We are witnessing the creation of new surveillance systems all over the world, by both governments and corporations. The current crisis might mark an important watershed in the history of surveillance. First, because it might legitimate and normalize the deployment of mass surveillance tools in countries that have so far rejected them. Secondly, and even more importantly, it signifies a dramatic transition from “over the skin” to “under the skin” surveillance. Previously, governments and corporations monitored mainly your actions in the world – where you go, who you meet. Now they have become more interested in what is happening inside your body. In your medical condition, body temperature, blood pressure. That kind of biometric information can tell governments and corporations far more about you than ever before. Could you suggest some ethical principles for how these new surveillance systems can be regulated? Ideally, the surveillance system should be operated by a special health-care authority rather than by a private company or by the security services. The health-care authority should be narrowly focused on preventing epidemics, and should have no other commercial or political interests. I am particularly alarmed when I hear people comparing the COVID-19 crisis to war, and calling for the security services to take over. This isn’t a war. It is a health-care crisis. There are no human enemies to kill. It is all about taking care of people. The dominant image in war is a soldier with a rifle storming forward. Now the image in our heads should be a nurse changing bed-sheets in a hospital. Soldiers and nurses have a very different way of thinking. If you want to put somebody in charge, don’t put a soldier in charge. Put a nurse. The health-care authority should gather the minimum amount of data necessary for the narrow task of preventing epidemics, and should not share this data with any other governmental body – especially not the police. Nor should it share the data with private companies. It should make sure that data gathered about individuals is never used to harm or manipulate these individuals – for example, leading to people losing their jobs or their insurance. The health-care authority may make the data accessible to scientific research, but only if the fruits of this research are made freely available to humanity, and if any incidental profits are reinvested in providing people with better health care. In contrast to all these limitations on data sharing, the individuals themselves should be given as much control of the data gathered about them. They should be free to examine their personal data and benefit from it. Finally, while such surveillance systems would probably be national in character, to really prevent epidemics, the different health-care authorities would have to co-operate with one another. Since pathogens don’t respect national borders, unless we combine data from different countries, it will be difficult to spot and stop epidemics. If national surveillance is done by an independent health-care authority which is free of political and commercial interests, it would be much easier for such national authorities to co-operate globally. You have spoken of a recent rapid deterioration of trust in the international system. How do you see the profound changes in multilateral co-operation in the future? I don’t know what will happen in the future. It depends on the choices we make in the present. Countries can choose to compete for scarce resources and pursue an egoistic and isolationist policy, or they could choose to help one another in the spirit of global solidarity. This choice will shape both the course of the present crisis and the future of the international system for years to come. I hope countries will choose solidarity and co-operation. We cannot stop this epidemic without close co-operation between countries all over the world. Even if a particular country succeeds in stopping the epidemic in its territory for a while, as long as the epidemic continues to spread elsewhere, it might return everywhere. Even worse, viruses constantly mutate. A mutation in the virus anywhere in the world might make it more contagious or more deadly, putting in danger all of humankind. The only way we can really protect ourselves, is by helping to protect all humans. The same is true of the economic crisis. If every country looks only after its own interests, the result will be a severe global recession that will hit everyone. Rich countries like the US, Germany and Japan will muddle through one way or the other. But poorer countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America might completely collapse. The US can afford a $2 trillion rescue package for its economy. Ecuador, Nigeria and Pakistan don’t have similar resources. We need a global economic rescue plan. Unfortunately, so far we don’t see anything like the strong global leadership we need. The US, which acted as world leader during the 2014 Ebola epidemic and the 2008 financial crisis, has abdicated this job. The Trump administration has made it very clear that it cares only about the US, and has abandoned even its closest allies in Western Europe. Even if the US now comes up with some kind of global plan, who would trust it, and who would follow its lead? Would you follow a leader whose motto is “Me First”? But every crisis is also an opportunity. Hopefully the current epidemic will help humankind realize the acute danger posed by global disunity. If indeed this epidemic eventually results in closer global co-operation, it will be a victory not only against the coronavirus, but against all the other dangers that threaten humankind – from climate change to nuclear war. You speak about how the choices we make now will affect our societies economically, politically and culturally, for years to come. What are these choices and who will be responsible for making them? We are faced with many choices. Not only the choice between nationalistic isolationism and global solidarity. Another important question is whether people would support the rise of dictators, or would they insist on dealing with the emergency in a democratic way? When governments spend billions to help failing businesses, would they save big corporations or small family businesses? As people switch to working from home and communicating online, will this result in the collapse of organized labour, or would we see better protection for workers’ rights? All these are political choices. We must be aware that we are now facing not just a health-care crisis, but also a political crisis. The media and the citizens should not allow themselves to be completely distracted by the epidemic. It is of course important to follow the latest news about the sickness itself – how many people died today? How many people were infected? But it is equally important to pay attention to politics and to put pressure on politicians to do the right thing. Citizens should pressure politicians to act in the spirit of global solidarity; to co-operate with other countries rather than blame them; to distribute funds in a fair way; to preserve democratic checks and balances – even in an emergency. The time to do all that is now. Whoever we elect to government in coming years will not be able to reverse the decisions that are taken now. If you become president in 2021, it is like coming to a party when the party is already over and the only thing left to do is wash the dirty dishes. If you become president in 2021, you will discover that the previous government has already distributed tens of billions of dollars – and you have a mountain of debts to repay. The previous government has already restructured the job market – and you cannot start from scratch again. The previous government has already introduced new surveillance systems – and they cannot be abolished overnight. So don’t wait till 2021. Monitor what the politicians are doing right now.The opinions expressed in this interview are those of the author, and not necessarily those of UNESCO and do not commit the Organization. Read more: Who owns science? The UNESCO Courier, May 1999Medicine and health, The UNESCO Courier, August 1987World health: ten years of progress, The UNESCO Courier, May 1958 URL:https://en.unesco.org/courier/news-views-online/yuval-noah-harari-every-crisis-also-opportunity

Jordan transforms education challenges into opportunities during COVID-19 crisis 2020-05-06 Each evening at 18H, sirens echo throughout Jordan, announcing the curfew, which lasts until 10H each morning. The kingdom has been under lockdown since March 21st, 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. As of May 3rd, 459 cumulative cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in Jordan. While Jordan’s case load may seem modest in comparison to the over 3 million cases confirmed globally, the country is not taking any chances and thus far appears to be containing the spread of the disease. A country wide closure of kindergartens, schools, universities and all educational institutions has been in place since March 15th, 2020 affecting 2,372,736 learners. The Technical Vocational and Education Training (TVET) sector has been seeking to ensure the continuity of education during this crisis as not all Higher Education Institutions are able to provide online alternatives for students. Availability of online practical training, which lies at the core of TVET, has been a challenge for students. TVET has enabled the provision of learning opportunities to those most at risk in Jordan, including adolescent girls, refugees and vulnerable Jordanian youth. The immediate impact of COVID-19 must be monitored closely, targeting in particular TVET drop-outs and finding innovative ways to address this challenge. Recently, Aseel Sheikh Ahmad, 22, completed her Hotel Management programme with a scholarship offered under the UNESCO “Provision of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) for vulnerable Jordanian and Syrian Refugee Youth” project, implemented with generous funding and strong partnership from the Government of the Republic of Korea. Following her completion of the practical on-the-job training portion of the programme, Luminus hired Aseel as a Barista. While I wait for this challenging time to pass, I am at home watching tutorials about new recipes and how to create new barista drinks. I am in constant contact with my colleagues, checking up on each other to make sure we are all coping-- Aseel Sheikh Ahmad Chaza Aladawi also concluded her TVET scholarship and studies prior to the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, and had begun working as a chef at a local restaurant. Originally from Syria, Chaza came to Jordan with her family in 2002 and settled in Amman. “At first, I had a hard time sitting at home, and worried that the restaurant might fire me or cut off my salary. I miss cooking for people a lot, and the escapism it offers me”, said Chaza. “After a while, I realized that if we stay at home, we will reduce the danger of getting more people sick. In my time off, I am trying to learn more about cooking Arab cuisine”. Chaza is grateful to have had the opportunity to learn such practical skills and thankful to have a job to return to. UNESCO, together with UNHCR, has been coordinating closely within the Education Sector Working Group in Jordan for weekly updates on TVET and higher education sectors, as well as mapping of existing programmes and possible responses to the impact of COVID-19 on the two sub-sectors. Good practices have emerged during this crisis, which should inform the transformation and rethinking of education in the medium to long term future, transforming challenges into opportunities. Globally, 91% of the world’s students are now affected by temporary closures of educational institutions – that’s more than 1.5 billion children and young people. During this challenging time, the education system, students, teachers, parents and caregivers have demonstrated remarkable skills to adapt to an unprecedented national and global situation. As an immediate response to school closures and in order to ensure continuity of education and learning, the Ministry of Education (MoE) has activated online learning solutions through both televised lessons and an e-learning platform (www.darsak.gov.jo). During the first 10 days of the crisis, this e-platform was accessed by an estimated 500,000 students online; 800,000 students have also accessed education through the TV programme. In view of addressing the challenge of teachers’ capacities, the MoE has also launched a platform to support them in this new context (https://teachers.gov.jo/). In Jordan, together with sister UN agencies and education partners, UNESCO will also focus its intervention on crisis sensitive planning, looking at both the response and the preparedness, with particular attention in supporting the MoE in aligning their response plan to their national Education Strategic Plan (ESP). While supporting the planning in line with the ESP and focusing on the humanitarian/development nexus, UNESCO is advocating for the safeguarding of learning for all age groups, with emphasis on equity and equality and the support to the most vulnerable children and youth. UNESCO has long been working to respond to crises around the world and have thus gained solid knowledge and expertise, especially in areas of its mandate and comparative advantage in the context of the lead role in the Education 2030 Agenda. The COVID-19 pandemic affects all levels and forms of education around the globe, and UNESCO, as the custodian of Sustainable Development Goal 4, has the mandate to address different educational dimensions in support of national institutions and building on strong partnerships at global, regional and country levels. For more information on UNESCO’s COVID-19 response, please visit: https://en.unesco.org/covid19/educationresponse URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/jordan-transforms-education-challenges-opportunities-during-covid-19-crisis

新指南为学校安全复课提供路线图 2020-05-02 UNESCO, UNICEF, WFP and World Bank today issued new guidelines on the safe reopening of schools amidst ongoing closures affecting nearly 1.3 billion students worldwide. The guidelines caution that the widespread closures of educational facilities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic present an unprecedented risk to children’s education and wellbeing, particularly for the most marginalized children who rely on school for their education, health, safety and nutrition. The guidelines offer practical advice for national and local authorities on how to keep children safe when they return to school. “While many students are falling behind in their learning journey because of prolonged school closures, the far from straightforward decision of when and how to reopen schools, should be a priority,” said UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay. “Once there is a green light on the health front, a whole set of measures will need to be in place to ensure that no student is left behind. These guidelines provide all-round guidance for governments and partners to facilitate the reopening of schools for students, teachers and families. We share one goal, to protect and advance the right to education for every learner,” “Rising inequality, poor health outcomes, violence, child labour and child marriage are just some of the long-term threats for children who miss out on school,” said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director. “We know the longer children stay out of school, the less likely they are to ever return. Unless we prioritize the reopening of schools – when it is safe to do so – we will likely see a devastating reversal in education gains.” The guidelines note that while there is not yet enough evidence to measure the impact of school closures on disease transmission rates, the adverse effects of school closures on children’s safety and learning are well documented. Gains made in increasing access to children’s education in recent decades risk being lost and, in the worse cases, reversed completely. “In the poorest countries, children often rely on schools for their only meal of the day. But with many schools now closed because of COVID, 370 million children are missing out on these nutritious meals which are a lifeline for poor families. They are also being denied the health support they normally get through school. This could do lasting damage, so when schools reopen it is critical that these meal programmes and health services are restored, which can also help to draw the most vulnerable children back to school,” said David Beasley, WFP Executive Director. The best interests of children and overall public health considerations – based on an assessment of the associated benefits and risks to education, public health and socio-economic factors – must be central to national and local authorities’ decisions to reopen schools, the guidelines say. Schools must look at how they can reopen better – with improved learning and more comprehensive support for children at the school including health, nutrition, psychosocial support and water, sanitation and hygiene facilities. As countries grapple with when to reopen schools, UNESCO, UNICEF and WFP – as part of the Global Education Coalition – urge governments to assess the benefits of classroom-based instruction compared to remote learning, and the risk factors related to reopening of schools, noting the inconclusive evidence around the infection risks related to school attendance. Jointly presented for the first time during a meeting of education ministers convened by UNESCO yesterday on planning for the reopening of schools, the guidance includes: Policy reform: Policy implications address all dimensions of the guidelines, including clear policies for school opening and closure during public health emergencies, reforms needed to expand equitable access for marginalised and out of school children as well as strengthen and standardize remote learning practices. Financing requirements: Address the impact of COVID-19 on education and invest in strengthening education systems for recovery and resilience. Safe operations: Ensure conditions that reduce disease transmission, safeguard essential services and supplies and promote healthy behaviour. This includes access to soap and clean water for safe handwashing, procedures on when staff or students feel unwell, protocols on social distancing and good hygiene practices. Compensating learning: Focus on practices that compensate for lost instructional time, strengthen pedagogy and build on hybrid learning models such as integrating approaches in remote and distance education. This must include knowledge on disease transmission and prevention. Wellness and protection: Expand the focus on students’ well-being and reinforce the protection of children through enhanced referral mechanisms and the provision of essential school-based services including healthcare and school feeding. Reaching the most marginalised: Adapt school opening policies and practices to expand access to marginalised groups such as previously out-of-school children, displaced and migrant children and minorities. Diversify critical communications and outreach by making them available in relevant languages and in accessible formats. "Once schools begin to reopen, the priority becomes reintegrating students into school settings safely and in ways that allow learning to pick up again, especially for those who suffered the biggest learning losses. This is a critical moment as it is the launching pad for a new normal that should be more effective and equitable. To manage reopenings, schools will need to be logistically prepared with the teaching workforce ready. And they will need to have plans specifically for supporting learning recovery of the most disadvantaged students. The guidelines offer a framework for moving forward that the major UN agencies are aligned around," said Jaime Saavedra, World Bank Global Director for Education. ***** Notes to editors About UNESCO: UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It seeks to build peace through international cooperation in Education, the Sciences and Culture. UNESCO's programmes contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals defined in Agenda 2030, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015. About UNICEF: UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone. About World Food Programme: The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies, building prosperity and supporting a sustainable future for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change. For further information, please contact: Georgina Thompson, UNICEF, +1 917 238 1559, gthompson@unicef.org David Orr, WFP, +39 340 246 6831, David.orr@wfp.org George Papagiannis, UNESCO: Tel: +33 1 45 68 17 06, g.papagiannis@unesco.org URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/new-guidelines-provide-roadmap-safe-reopening-schools

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