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UNESCO’s “Digital Creativity Lab” funds 4 new projects to address digital gap in the creative sector 2021-06-07 Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs) are among the most hit by the COVID-19 crisis, and the pandemic witnessed a massive migration of cultural activities to online and hybrid forms. As the pandemic triggered the digitization of culture, new challenges are posing to the diversity of cultural expressions with amplified gaps in access, creation, and remuneration. The International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Developmentoffers a timely opportunity to broadly reflect this new reality on unprecedented challenges and opportunities. Against this backdrop, UNESCO is launching a new project “Digital Creativity Lab” with the funding from the Republic of Korea to address the digital skills gap in the cultural and creative industries and to strengthen policy frameworks. The UNESCO Korea Funds-In-Trust (KFIT) for the Development of Cultural and Creative Industries has, for over a decade, invested in the development of creative sectors. Building on this momentum and fully embracing the expanding digital environment, KFIT is now shifting its strategic turn toward supporting cultural entrepreneurship in the digital era. Inspired by the “Content Korea Lab” initiated by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sport of the Republic of Korea, “Digital Creativity Lab” will support training programmes that strengthen digital skills and competencies in the CCIs. The UNESCO “Digital Creativity Lab” will fund 4 new projects, which are: Protecting Musicians’ Intellectual Property in Digital Platforms in Indonesia, led by UNESCO Jakarta Office Digital Transformation of Cultural and Creative Industries in the Republic of Moldova, led by UNESCO Venice Office Strengthening digital capacity for cultural and creative entrepreneurs in Mekong cluster, led by UNESCO Bangkok Office Strengthening Digital Literacy Skills and Competencies and Promoting Gender Equality in Cultural and Creative Sectors in Central Asia, led by UNESCO Almaty Office These projects range from supporting actions to protect musicians’ intellectual property in digital platform, piloting a 3 month-long creative digital incubation programme for female creative professionals aged under 45, and analyzing data on women working in the digital cultural and creative sectors followed by the online training programme to strengthen digital skills and competencies. With this new initiative, it is expected to pilot innovative practices in developing countries to implement the 2005 Convention in the Digital environment. For more information on Korea Funds-in-Trust (KFIT), see this brochure. To see an Open Roadmap for the implementation of the 2005 Convention in the Digital environment, click here. URL:https://en.unesco.org/creativity/news/unescos-digital-creativity-lab-funds-4-new-projects 
De FACTO : Science Po, l’AFP et le CLEMI unissent leurs expertises autour d’un projet Européen 2021-06-02 Le CLEMI membre du projet DE FACTO sélectionné par la Commission européenne pour mener des actions autour des médias numériques et de la désinformation à l’échelle de l’UE. Apprendre à s’informer est un enjeu majeur de nos sociétés européennes tant les citoyens de tous âges sont aujourd’hui soumis à un flux continu d’informations, d’images, de vidéos dont ils ne sont pas toujours en mesure d’identifier la source ou d’évaluer le contenu. Ce projet, coordonnée par le Médialab de Sciences Po en partenariat avec l’Agence France Presse (AFP) et le CLEMI associe chercheurs, fact-checkers, journalistes et experts de l’éducation aux médias et à l’information pour : - créer un réseau autour des pratiques informationnelles et des enjeux de désinformation ;- constituer une plateforme de recherche et d’échanges autour du décryptage des circuits de l’information et des mécanismes d’information et de désinformation, notamment en ligne ;- sensibiliser les professionnels et le grand public autour de ces problématiques. Il s’inscrit dans le cadre de la création, le 1er juin 2020 du European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO), observatoire visant à soutenir la création et les activités de communautés de recherche interdisciplinaires sur les problématiques de désinformation et les outils permettant de la contrer. L’objectif est de créer des synergies entre les activités de recherche, fact-check et d’éducation aux médias et à l’information et de donner accès aux enseignants, journalistes, décideurs et aux familles à des contenus et ressources proposés par le consortium. La participation du CLEMI à ce projet est un prolongement de l’action entreprise à l’échelle européenne au sein des institutions et avec les partenaires engagés en éducations aux médias et à l’information à travers le continent. URL:https://www.clemi.fr/fr/evenements/toutes-les-actualites/actualite/news/detail/News/de-facto-science-po-lafp-et-le-clemi-unissent-leurs-expertises-autour-dun-projet-europeen.html 
Reconciliation and Global Citizenship Education in Canada 2021-05-30 What we have learned Our lessons learned in Canada related to education on reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples have been profound, empowering, and full of hope for our future. These lessons may well be universal paths to peace, respect and solidarity no matter our geography or circumstances. They remind us that: The younger we start reconciliation education, the more certain our success in equipping learners with the knowledge, values and capacity required to live together in peaceful, respectful coexistence. Reconciliation is not possible without first fearlessly and openly seeking out all aspects of truth. Acknowledgement and recognition of each human being’s truth is essential to the establishment of respectful relationship. There is far greater honour of earning a global reputation as a country that demonstrates the courage and integrity to face our colonial history, accept responsibility and take action toward reconciliation than to continue to enjoy a national notoriety based on mistruth and flawed historical narratives. In matters of the heart and humanity children are often the teachers of their parents and grandparents, and are most certainly the most courageous agents of social change. The journey from the heart to the head is a long one but is possible with genuine intention and commitment to humanity, one person at a time. A context for reconciliation in Canada In recent history in Canada, the term “reconciliation” is most commonly associated with the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) that officially launched on June 2, 2008 and held closing ceremonies on June 3, 2015 (delivering the final report on December 15, 2015). One of five components of the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement (IRSSA), the TRC was a process through which survivors of the Indian Residential School system would educate all Canadians in their own words. The mandate of the TRC was “to inform all Canadians about what happened in Indian Residential Schools (IRS). The Commission will document the truth of survivors, families, communities and anyone personally affected by the IRS experience.” In the broadest of terms, most Canadians consider reconciliation as the concept of repairing and rebuilding the relationship between Indigenous (First Nations, Metis and Inuit) peoples and non-Indigenous Canadians. Some Canadians chose what could be considered the path of least resistance, or of least personal responsibility. In their estimation the federal government and the churches that operated the schools are solely responsible to make right the historical, political and ethical wrongs of the country. Indeed, early steps were taken in this direction in the form of apologies delivered by the Prime Minister of Canada and the leaders of each federal political party on June 11, 2008. This was followed immediately by compensation made available to Indigenous Peoples, specifically those who were forcibly removed from their homes, families and communities to be placed in Indian Residential Schools. The Independent Assessment Process and the Common Experience Payment were designed to address for the human rights violations perpetrated against them in those schools. But we know that financial compensation is not enough and that countries, organizations, agencies don’t reconcile. People reconcile. For the survivors of Indian Residential School who represented their fellow survivors in the negotiations of the IRSSA, the education of Canadians in the truth regarding their treatment, experiences and impacts, both direct and intergenerational, was of highest priority. That said, over the operational period of the TRC and beyond, the term ‘reconciliation’ has garnered more attention and debate than perhaps the actual processes that were established under the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement. One of the most common question posed in forums on truth seeking and reconciliation during the time of the TRC was “What is reconciliation?” followed closely by “How do we achieve reconciliation?” It has become abundantly clear that reconciliation means different things to different people. For some residential school survivors, it means reconciling with the facts about how the system evolved and why their families and communities were targeted in such inhumane ways by government and churches. Many intergenerational survivors of residential school cited a need to reconcile with the anger, bitterness and resentment that they had long harboured toward their survivor parents, for the pain that they had suffered as children. Most had no knowledge of the trauma that their parents had suffered and subsequently passed on to them. For many non-Indigenous Canadians reconciling with the shock and devastation around our colonial history and who we really are as a country has been overwhelming. Some have responded with denial, others with shame and disillusionment. But a large portion of the population has chosen to take action for reconciliation: to learn more, to live differently; in essence to educate themselves for the benefit of all. In a similar vein of looking toward authentic and unabridged education as a path to a more peaceful Canadian society, many Indigenous peoples maintained the mantra “Truth before Reconciliation”. Indeed, what is “truth seeking” if not education. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada was certainly heavily focused on education, both formal and public education, to address the demands of survivors and the majority of Canadians who reported being completely ignorant of the Indian Residential School System that had operated officially for over 160 years in Canada. In the 94 Calls to Action released by the TRC on June 3, 2015, the Commissioners dedicated two sections of their directives specifically to education. Calls to Action 6-12, Education, very pointedly called upon the federal government to address the education inequities that Indigenous, and more specifically First Nations, students face in Canada on a daily basis. Inequities including funding levels, relevant curricula, Indigenous language rights, Treaty relationships, and Indigenous participation in all decisions aimed at resolving these issues, at the family, community and Nation levels. In a second education focused section of the TRC Calls to Action, Education for Reconciliation, there is a clear and direct alignment between Calls to Action 62-65 and the basic principles of Global Citizenship Education (GCED), a principle promoted by UNESCO. In these Calls to Action, the Commissioners call upon all levels of government to provide funding and to collaborate with Indigenous Peoples to develop Indigenous focused, mandatory education curricula, resources, and programs for all students across the country. Specifically, the Commission calls for “age-appropriate curriculum on residential schools, Treaties, and Aboriginal peoples’ historical and contemporary contributions to Canada a mandatory education requirement; curriculum and learning resources on Aboriginal peoples in Canadian history, and the history and legacy of residential schools; to utilize Indigenous knowledge and teaching methods in classrooms.” This section of the Calls to Action sets out parameters and processes to facilitate action on these required changes including the calls for identifying teacher-training needs and to “provide the necessary funding to post-secondary institutions to educate teachers; establish senior-level positions in government at the assistant deputy minister level or higher dedicated to Aboriginal content in education; establish a national research program with multi-year funding to advance understanding of reconciliation with the goal of building student capacity for intercultural understanding, empathy, and mutual respect.” The importance of education in the pursuit of reconciliation emerged more and more clearly as the mandate of the TRC unfolded. So much so that in the analysis of the 94 Calls to Action, in which only 2 of the 22 headings name education in their titles, one can identify education activities in approximately 80% of the actions identified in the document. As Truth and Reconciliation Chief Commissioner, Justice Murray Sinclair, has stated on many occasions, “education is what got us here, and education is what will get us out.” The role of education in reconciliation in Canada What better model of education to light the pathway out of such a dark legacy in Canada than that of Global Citizenship Education. The commitment and courage of classroom teachers has been key to answer the calls, not only from the TRC Commissioners, but those of survivors, families and communities, to seek truth and take reconciliACTION (a term coined by intergenerational survivor Stan Wesley, Cree from Moose Factory, Ontario). Many of these agents of change have accessed excellent education resources from the Legacy of Hope Foundation or their respective teachers’ associations, at a time when there were very few resources readily available to teachers. Many others created their own lessons, modules and resources as they learned alongside their students. One such program, Project of Heart, began with a query from a student and grew to become a nationally acclaimed education programme that has provided a critical learning path for thousands of teachers and students in every province and territory of Canada. Ottawa high school teacher Sylvia Smith immediately recognized the importance of her student’s query about residential schools and took action to develop a brilliant inquiry-to-action learning initiative driven by her students. Smith then reached out to engage teachers and students across the country to join the movement. There are several characteristics that make Project of Heart such an excellent example of how education not only supports reconciliation, but actually drives it. The fact that Ms. Smith developed Project of Heart through a responsive and engaging process of learning with her students is key. She facilitated the truth-seeking journey of her students, guided them with value-based markers, trusted them as active and responsible learners and empowered them to become the authors of their own narratives and agents of change. Together teacher and students created a step-by-step critical learning path that provided for -- in fact required -- place-based adaptation of the learning that positions students as players in the narrative of history and social change. The Project of Heart inquiry-to-action learning journey is fired by each student’s desire for raw truth from which they can draw their own conclusions. Students’ pursuit of knowledge and understanding are derived from primary source documents, both survivor voices and little-known documentation crafted and held by governments and churches. As a tangible way to both acknowledge the truth and commit to action for social change, each learner creates physical representations of reconciliation in the form of small wooden tiles, each one to honour the life of a child lost to the Indian Residential School system. Finally, and most importantly, students are challenged to undertake acts of social justice, things that they can do to make a difference, and contribute to achieving reconciliation in Canada. To bring the learning full circle, in a process of active and responsible citizenship and solidarity, students and teachers compile a compelling and concise blog post. They then submit the post to the keepers of the Project of Heart website, the now retired founding teacher Sylvia Smith and her family, to be shared on the public access site. The collection of posts inspires and engages other teachers and students across the country and beyond to seek truth and take action for reconciliation in their respective communities, situated within the territories of the original peoples of the land. Conclusion Reconciliation education is fundamental to a new way for people to live together on these lands, in justice and peace. Based in honest and courageous seeking of the truth, and tangible acts of reconciliation and social justice, it transforms students from mere learners to active changemakers. This is the heart of Global Citizenship Education, and it gives real hope for our future. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Author Charlene Bearhead, Director of Reconciliation at the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and education. Within the context of the TRC National Events between 2012-2015, she coordinated the Education Days for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. Bearhead served as the first Education Lead at the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation at the University of Manitoba, the first Education and Programming Lead at the Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre at the University of British Columbia, and the Education Coordinator for the National Inquiry Into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in Canada. URL:https://en.ccunesco.ca/idealab/reconciliation-and-education-in-canada 
Des enseignants du Niger apprennent à prévenir l'extrémisme violent et à introduire la culture de la paix en classe 2021-05-24 In target schools in Niger’s Tillabéri region, teachers participate in workshops on youth empowerment and peacebuilding ©INDRAP/Issaka Harouna In the Diffa and Tillabéri regions of Niger, insecurity caused by violent extremism is undermining stability and hindering the right to access quality education for all. To address this situation, UNESCO's Capacity Development for Education (CapED) Programme supported the contextualization of a teacher's guide on the prevention of violent extremism for the Sahel region, designed by the International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA). Following the validation of the guide in 2019, UNESCO conducted a pilot test of the guide in schools in the Diffa region, which was followed by a training workshop for 65 teachers from targeted primary and secondary schools in the Tillabéri region in April 2021. For the teachers in training, the first step was to identify the values to be transmitted to prevent violent extremism. "We discovered pedagogical approaches that can help build resilience and prevent violent extremism through the development of values in students, such as empathy, respect, tolerance, dialogue, and reconciliation" -- Djamila Gado Abdou, a teacher working in Torodi.Once these values were identified, it was necessary to find anchor points in the official curriculum, according to the subjects and grade. Through transformational pedagogy, which places students at the heart of the learning process, learners will be instilled with these values, and will be able to use and transmit them in contexts outside of school. "Transformational pedagogy [...] can positively impact students’ communities" says Yayé Touré, regional pedagogical inspector and trainer. "Little by little, the prevention of violent extremism and the resilience of communities will increase, with behavioral changes occurring first at the student level, and then transferred to the community level." -- Yayé Touré, regional pedagogical inspector and trainerThe trainers believe that this training should be replicated to maximize the expected results in other Sahel regions. "My wish is to expand this training beyond the pilot schools, because almost all of our schools exist amid insecurity, hence the absolute need to instill everyone with this innovative transformational pedagogy. This training is relevant for teachers as it allows them to take charge of insecurity issues, and thus prevent violent extremism. Thanks to this, there will be a change in behavior in regard to the violence that we experience on a daily basis" -- Issaka Halidou, deputy regional director and trainer in the Tillaberi region Following this training, the teachers' guide will be revised to better consider lessons learned. Trained teachers will continue to be supported by regional supervisors and trainers to develop ways to apply the transformational pedagogy, help students gain autonomy, and support youth in peace building, resilience, and prevention of violent extremism through education. This workshop, organized by the Niger technical team, accompanied by UNESCO's Multisectoral Regional Office for West Africa (Sahel), took place from 19 - 30 April 2021. It was co-financed by CapED in Niger and by a voluntary contribution from France. URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/teachers-niger-learn-prevent-violent-extremism-and-bring-culture-peace-classroom 
Appel à candidatures : Récompense UNESCO des villes apprenantes 2021 2021-05-23 Celebrating cities’ innovation in lifelong learning The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) is calling for applications for the UNESCO Learning City Award 2021. The award recognizes impactful, creative and innovative lifelong learning strategies and practices at urban level. All 229 members of the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC) are invited to apply by 25 June 2021. Awardees will be honoured on 27 October 2021 during the fifth International Conference on Learning Cities in Yeonsu, Republic of Korea. Education is key to sustainable development and, with more than half of humanity living in urban areas, cities are at the forefront of efforts to live more sustainably. The cities making up the UNESCO GNLC aim to provide quality education and lifelong learning opportunities within their local communities to people of all ages and from all socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. While each learning city has its unique story, all UNESCO GNLC members benefit from the sharing of best practices within the network. UNESCO established the UNESCO Learning City Award in 2015. It is open to all member cities of the UNESCO GNLC and recognizes best practice in lifelong learning at urban level, the promotion of lifelong learning through effective and innovative projects or programmes, and innovative work in the field of lifelong learning. Key dates25 June 2021: Submission of application by the applicant city to the National Commission for UNESCO in the respective country.16 July 2021: National Commissions approve applications for a maximum of two cities per country.1 September 2021: Awardees decided by an international jury on behalf of the UNESCO GNLC; announcement of awardees.27 October 2021: Award ceremony during the fifth International Conference on Learning Cities in Yeonsu, Republic of Korea. Share your learning city story with us and apply for the 2021 Learning City Award! Further information How to apply Learning City Award concept note Learning City Award flyer with key dates URL:https://uil.unesco.org/lifelong-learning/learning-cities/call-applications-unesco-learning-city-award-2021-0 
UNESCO declares environmental education must be a core curriculum component by 2025 2021-05-21 Over 80 ministers and vice ministers and 2,800 education and environment stakeholders committed to taking concrete steps to transform learning for the survival of our planet by adopting the Berlin Declaration on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) at the end of a three-day virtual World Conference held from 17 to 19 May. The Conference, followed online by over 10,000 viewers, was organized by UNESCO in cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Education and Research of Germany and the German Commission for UNESCO as advisory partner. UNESCO has called for Education for Sustainable Development to be a core component of all education systems at all levels by 2025. Education can be a powerful tool for transforming our relationship with nature. We must invest in this field in order to preserve the planet.-- Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General UNESCO’s launch of a new publication, which analyzed educational plans and curricula frameworks in close to 50 countries informed the discussions. UNESCO found that more than half make no reference to climate change, while only 19% speak about biodiversity. The Berlin Declaration on Education for Sustainable Development outlines a range of policies to transform learning encompassing teaching, learning, professional training and civic engagement. It also highlights the need to implement Education for Sustainable Development with focus on cognitive skills, social and emotional learning, collaboration skills, problem solving, resilience-building. We need training for sustainable development not to be a privilege but accessible to all people. The success of the Education for Sustainable Development programme for 2030 will bring us closer to all the SDGs.-- Angela Merkel, German Chancellor “We need training for sustainable development not to be a privilege but accessible to all people. The success of the Education for Sustainable Development programme for 2030 will bring us closer to all the SDGs,” said German Chancellor Angela Merkel in her welcoming address, describing Germany’s broad network of partners working on sustainability at all levels of education and training. Throughout the Conference, countries shared plans to integrate Education for Sustainable Development. Ms Anja Karliczek, Germany’s federal minister of education and research, shared the commitments of 18 countries of the European Union to implement the Education for Sustainable Development for 2030 framework, underscoring it as a driver for the achievement of all the SDGs. We must focus not only expanding access and improving learning outcomes, but also on the kind of education needed in our world. Education for Sustainable Development will be at the core of reimagining education.-- Amina Mohammed, UN’s Deputy Secretary-General Laurent Fabius, who presided COP21 where the Paris Agreement was sealed, stated the “fight against climate change begins at school.” He recalled commitments in the Paris Agreement to education, and called for increased efforts to improve teacher training on ESD and increase financing. “2021 is the year in which we will overcome the pandemic and embark on a sustainable development model for the future that must include ESD. If we miss this occasion, we will lose decades. This is a race against the clock.” The voices of young people were given a platform throughout the Conference, as those leading the call for change so that they can #LearnForOurPlanet. Building a whole new lifestyle is not an easy, but slowly and together I’m sure we can do it. But education needs to give us the tools to do this. Learning not just about our planet but for our planet needs to be part of every young person’s education, everywhere in the world.-- Rajwa Pandhita, a student from Indonesia The adoption of the Berlin Declaration will create momentum for the implementation of ESD for 2030 Roadmap – the framework for this decade of Education for Sustainable Development. Every UNESCO Member State will be asked to create a network of actors who together can implement the ambitious vision for education. From Berlin, 2021 will provide key opportunities for governments to apply this commitment, including the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP 15) and the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow. URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/unesco-declares-environmental-education-must-be-core-curriculum-component-2025 
International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence launches call for AI powered solutions for sustainable development 2021-05-19 The International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence (IRCAI), a Category 2 centre under the auspices of UNESCO, is launching a call for proposals for the top 100 projects harnessing Artificial Intelligence (AI) to meet the Sustainable Development Goals. Themes range from education, healthcare and climate to assistive technologies and circular economy. The top 10 projects will receive support through training, advisory, networking and mentoring activities across IRCAI partners. The Center is partnering with Village Capital to support the Top 10 projects with an investment readiness training session and social finance to provide training on innovative finance and outcome measurement. The selected submissions will be presented in IRCAI’s Global Top 100 List to showcase researchers, entrepreneurs and thinkers, as well as projects using AI to make significant impact. In addition, IRCAI will publish a report highlighting 10 of the most compelling cases and solutions of Artificial Intelligence and their contribution to sustainable development. It will celebrate leaders that make change possible and describe the mindset and strategies that drive them in their work. Under the auspices of UNESCO, IRCAI was launched on 29 March 2021 with the aim to advance research on the use of AI to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by showcasing relevant projects across the world. More information on the Call for Proposal and additional information on how to nominate a project can be found here. Submissions are open until 30 June 2021. Related links Call for Proposals on IRCAI Global Top 100 International Research Center on Artificial Intelligence under the auspices of UNESCO UNESCO Artificial Intelligence URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/international-research-centre-artificial-intelligence-launches-call-ai-powered-solutions 
Sudan Conference: UNESCO intensifies cooperation on press freedom, a key driver of democratic transition 2021-05-19 Meeting in Paris ahead of the International Conference convened by France to Support the Sudanese Transition, Abdalla Hamdok, Prime Minister of Sudan, and the Organization’s Director-General Audrey Azoulay agreed to reinforce ongoing cooperation to support press freedom and media development, key pillars of the democratic transition underway in the country. Press freedom is a cornerstone of any democratic society, and a key driver of the democratic transition in Sudan. UNESCO is committed to provide its expertise and guidance for a safe press environment. Working closely with Sudan since 2019, we have put together a Media Reform Roadmap to be implemented over the next 3 years, and we stand ready to step up our efforts.-- Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General On 25 September 2019, the Prime Minister of Sudan requested UNESCO's support to introduce media reforms as part of the transitional process during the UN General Assembly Event on Media Freedom, when he announced Sudan's signing of the Global Pledge for Media Freedom spearheaded by Canada and the United Kingdom. In response, UNESCO launched a first assessment of the country’s media environment using its Media Development Indicators. In September 2020, the outcomes of these consultations were consolidated and published in the form of a Media Reform Roadmap. The next stage of UNESCO’s cooperation with Sudan in this area will consist of implementing the Roadmap over the next three years. The areas to be reinforced in line with the Roadmap concern: legislative reform, institution building, training and employment of media professionals, and investment in technical infrastructure. Since 2019, Sudan established a National Team for Media Reform, comprised of media experts, media owners and managers, journalists, officials of the Ministry of Culture and Information and civil society representatives who took part in the assessment of the media landscape. UNESCO is promoting the participation of women in the media and has supported safety training for over 250 women journalists. UNESCO has also trained security officers on freedom of expression and the safety of journalists. Also in February 2020, UNESCO launched an assessment of internet development in Sudan based on its Internet Universality Indicators, which is scheduled to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2021. This project is funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) through UNESCO's International Programme for the Development of Communication. Financial support for these activities has been sourced through UNESCO's Multi-Donor Programme on Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists. Throughout 2020, UNESCO launched a series of capacity-building sessions for over 300 Sudanese journalists to address disinformation and prevent violent extremism and hate speech. UNESCO is seeking additional support to build capacities of the media and strengthen national institutions such as the Sudanese National Commission on Human Rights. URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/sudan-conference-unesco-intensifies-cooperation-press-freedom-key-driver-democratic-transition 
UNESCO urges making environmental education a core curriculum component in all countries by 2025 2021-05-14 Education is not giving students sufficient knowledge to adapt, act and respond to climate change and environmental crises, according to a new report published by UNESCO on the eve of the World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development, which will take place on line from Berlin (Germany), from 17 to 19 May. The study, Learn for Our Planet, analyzed educational plans and curricula frameworks in close to 50 countries across all regions. More than half make no reference to climate change while only 19% speak about biodiversity. The study notes a lack of attention to socio-emotional skills and action-oriented competences that are central to environmental and climate action. In an on-line survey of some 1,600 teachers and education leaders conducted for the study, one third of respondents indicated that environment-related issues were not part of teacher training. Education must prepare learners to understand the current crisis and shape the future. To save our planet, we must transform the way we live, produce, consume and interact with nature. Integrating education for sustainable development into all learning programmes must become fundamental, everywhere.-- Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General UNESCO has therefore set a new target: to make environmental education a core curriculum component in all countries by 2025. The Organization is working with its 193 Member States to support curriculum reform and track progress to ensure everyone acquires the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes to introduce positive change and protect our planet’s future. The World Conference will bring together some 2,500 participants, including 81 education ministers and leading players committed to the transformation of education so that all learners can address the climate crisis, biodiversity loss and all other sustainable development challenges. It will aim to create strategies for the integration of education for sustainable development into every level of education and training, in line with a new framework. Over three days, sessions will focus on optimal ways to harness education to address interconnected global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, green and circular economies, technological advancement and building resilient relationships with the planet through education. It will look at ways to reinforce the capacity of educators, empower youth and take local actions through education for sustainable development. All participants will be called upon to commit to the Berlin Declaration on Education for Sustainable Development that will outline a range of policies encompassing teaching, learning, professional training and civic engagement. High-level participants scheduled to attend the conference: Audrey Azoulay, Director-General, UNESCO Angela Merkel, Chancellor, Germany Amina Mohamed, Deputy Secretary-General of the UN Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary, UNFCCC Princess Lalla Hasnaa, President, Mohammed VI Foundation for Environmental Protection, Morocco Laurent Fabius, President of COP21 (France) Alexander Gerst, European Space Agency Astronaut and advocate for sustainability (Germany) Jeffrey Sachs, Director, the Center for Sustainable Development, Columbia University and President, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network Andreas Schleicher, Director of Education and Skills and Special Advisor on Education Policy to the Secretary-General, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). In the lead-up to the Conference, people have been adding their voices to a global campaign launched by UNESCO to call for changes in education so we can all #LearnForOurPlanet, for our own survival and for the future of life on earth. UNESCO is the leading United Nations organization on Education for Sustainable Development, which aims to ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge, skills, values and initiative to act for the planet and live sustainably. In 2019, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution calling on the international community to scale up education for sustainable development in order to achieve the 2030 Agenda. The resolution recognized UNESCO’s leadership in this field. The conference is organized in cooperation with Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research and with its generous support. URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/unesco-urges-making-environmental-education-core-curriculum-component-all-countries-2025 
With UIL support, six countries develop their education systems from a lifelong learning perspective 2021-05-14 On 21 and 22 April 2021, the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) brought together representatives of six UNESCO Member States – Cambodia, Kenya, Namibia, the People’s Republic of China, the Philippines and Viet Nam – to discuss the development of education systems from a lifelong learning perspective. The online meeting built on previous capacity-building workshops by UIL and Shanghai Open University (SOU) in 2018 and 2019 and showed impressive progress in advancing national policies and lifelong learning implementation strategies despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The follow-up meeting was organized to provide country teams with the opportunity to share their progress, exchange ways to overcome the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic and reinvigorate the process of making lifelong learning a reality in UNESCO Member States. One delegate, Mr Mok Sarom, Deputy Director General of Education in Cambodia’s Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, commented: Experiences from the UIL meeting on lifelong learning helped me understand and appreciate systematic educational differences and increase my professional awareness. Indirectly, my work will increase the number of youth and adults with strong literacy, numeracy and soft-skills, combined with technical and vocational skills, for employment and entrepreneurship in the Kingdom of Cambodia. Presentations showed that several themes were key to all participating countries, such as the development of national qualifications frameworks and the recognition, validation and accreditation (RVA) of learning outcomes, the building of learning territories (including learning cities), the provision of lifelong learning through community learning centres, the strengthening of advocacy for and understanding of lifelong learning, and the inter-governmental and sub-national coordination of lifelong learning. UIL shared recent and current projects linked to these cross-cutting themes and SOU described how it has continued to provide lifelong learning opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic. By the conclusion of the meeting, representatives of the six countries had planned a series of priority actions to further the development of their education systems from a lifelong learning perspective. Mr Li Jiacheng, Deputy Director of the Shanghai Municipal Institute for Lifelong Education in the People’s Republic of China, said:It is very exciting listening to, talking with, and working with the colleagues from UIL and different countries! As lifelong learning is so important for human being, we need to work together with the belief of making learning a reality. UIL will support the countries’ priority actions in the coming months. In November 2021, the series of capacity-building workshops will continue with the third instalment, again co-organized by UIL and SOU. It will take place online. URL:https://uil.unesco.org/lifelong-learning/uil-support-six-countries-develop-their-education-systems-lifelong-learning