UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning’s Post

With every visitor stepping into the doors of the academic building at UWC Dilijan, tours begin with a powerful message displayed on the wall: "UWC makes education a force to unite people, nations, and cultures for peace and a sustainable future." As a guide for these tours, I made it a point to pause at this message, articulating every word with deliberate care, as its significance resonated within me deeply. Education is a force that shaped my own path – none of the achievements, personal growth, or opportunities for higher education in the U.S. would have possible without the vision of Ruben Vardanyan and Veronika Zonabend to establish an international boarding school in Armenia, catalyzing the broader mission of UWC International. I firmly believe in education as the ultimate equalizer. Having experienced firsthand the disruptions caused by conflict and war, I've seen how it can break the dreams of youth. It is easy to blame, to say they should have tried harder. But the reality is far more complex. How can one focus on learning and seeing a brighter future when survival is a daily struggle? What is more difficult to do, is to inspire – to uplift, encourage, and give hope. I am immensely grateful to Projects for Peace for recognizing the potential of my project in the 2024 grantee cohort, "Hooys: Planting Seeds of Hope in Artsakh Youth." My project aims to empower the youth of Nagorno-Karabakh refugees who were forced to leave their homeland due to the impact of wars and a blockade. Through virtual workshops featuring discussions, group activities, and guest speakers, the project is intended to contribute to global peacemaking efforts by catalyzing personal, intellectual, and communal growth. Each year, Projects for Peace grants $1.25 million to student leaders who are developing innovative, community-centered, and scalable responses to the world’s most pressing issues. I am deeply grateful to Lisa Grimes, whose support has been instrumental in every phase of this process. I carry with me the UWC mission statement as I take this small but meaningful step in making opportunities visible and accessible to those who need it the most. https://lnkd.in/eX2kwrjm https://lnkd.in/eSsxgEDr

Education, training, youth, and sport have the power to transform lives. In the face of the ongoing war and displacement in Ukraine, the European Commission has set up projects that facilitate support to Ukraine. 📖Read the the new publication: ‘Building hope: Europe’s Solidarity with Ukraine'. Discover more about the projects in Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps that have provided support to individuals effected by the war in Ukraine ➡️ https://bit.ly/487OGrB

There must be a bench of technocratic and capable Palestinians to serve as the foundations of a new Palestinian Authority, projects, backed by teams of technical experts from Europe and the United States (and not from the politically, intellectually, and morally bankrupt United Nations) who can help set up real ministries, new education systems, and productive economic programs that can sustain growth. Absent such an effort, it will be the status quo ante, with war and respite, war and respite.

Today is the International Day of Education, and today we echo UNESCO’s commitment: advancing peace through education. Find more info on this important day at the UNESCO site: https://bit.ly/3H4phE7 #InternationalDayOfEducation

From 3 to 13 April 2025, the European Youth Parliament (EYP) will hold its 101st International Session in The Hague. For more than a week, 300 young people from across the continent will gather in the diplomatic hub of #peace and justice. In committee meetings and plenary debates, they will discuss solutions to issues of #security, peace and #democracy. The conference takes place 80 years after the end of World War II and will therefore be dedicated to commemoration and reflection on peace and security. Within the theme "young visions of peace and security", the participants will work in groups on political issues around #defence, democracy and #economy. In addition, the programme includes visits to ministries, embassies and other government institutions, as well as diplomatic and professional training. The event is organised entirely by a team of dozens of #young #volunteers, and further fully depends on financial support from commercial and public bodies. As partners of The Hague 2025, companies and organisations can propose debate topics and build brand awareness among a large group of young Europeans. The European Youth Parliament (EYP) is an international network of 25,000 politically engaged young people in 35 countries. Its 400 annual conferences aim to inform and inspire a young generation of open-minded, responsible and active citizens. The organisation enjoys the patronship of Ursula von der Leyen and Roberta Metsola, the Presidents of the European Commission and the European Parliament respectively. The European Youth Parliament the Netherlands previously successfully organised an International Conference in Rotterdam with the support of Prof Dr Jan Peter Balkenende and Drs Frans van Houten. A year from now, The Hague will not only be the international capital of peace and justice, but also a week-long hub of young visions for a peaceful future of Europe. More information on participation and sponsorship is available at https://lnkd.in/ehBbCEzU. #ReadyForTHIS25

📣 Happy International Day of Education! #EducationDay   Since 2017, UNESCO IICBA, with support from the Government of Japan, has been at the forefront, implementing impactful projects on #education for #peace and the #prevention of #violent #extremism. In our latest project covering 21 countries, we collaborated with Ministries of Education, over 30 universities, 20 teacher training institutions, the African Union's Youth for Peace Africa Program, and Regional Economic Communities. The results, as suggested by an independent external evaluation, showcase strong positive impacts.   Dr. Quentin Wodon, IICBA Director, emphasizes, "The project adopted a transformative pedagogy approach, seeking to equip learners with competencies to identify and resolve conflicts without violence. The aim is to enable learners to become active citizens and empower them for a positive impact in their communities and society at large."   Join us in exploring this groundbreaking study, understanding our approach, and recognizing the impact it carries. Read the full study here: https://lnkd.in/d554WB-9

Erasmus+ is the EU's programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe. It has an estimated budget of €26.2 billion. This is nearly double the funding compared to its predecessor programme (2014-2020). The 2021-2027 programme places a strong focus on social inclusion, the green and digital transitions, and promoting young people’s participation in democratic life. It supports priorities and activities set out in the European Education Area, Digital Education Action Plan and the European Skills Agenda. The programme also Supports the European Pillar of Social Rights. Implements the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027. Develops the European dimension in SPO.

Today is the world's International Day of Education. It is a day set aside by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to celebrate the role education plays in peace and development. The day was first celebrated in 2018. The theme of this year's celebration is 'Learning For Peace.' The theme is particularly relevant now, as the world is witnessing a surge in armed conflicts, with children being the most vulnerable. According to Save Children's 2022 Reports on Countries in Conflict, one in the world's children lives in a conflict zone. In 2020, 468 million children were affected by armed conflicts, and this number has increased in recent times. This report explains why the world is in dire need of peace. Nearly 200 children are living in the world's most lethal war zone, the highest number in over a decade. This underscores the need for proactive measures to be adopted to stem the tides of conflicts around the world and this can only be achieved through education. As teachers, we should understand that there's an urgent need to keep empowering our learners with the necessary knowledge, values, attitudes, skills, and behaviors to become agents of peace in their communities. Only through this can we raise global citizens who understand the importance of peaceful coexistence, acknowledge, and celebrate diversity through tolerance. Happy International Day of Education! #unesco #peaceeducation #globalcitizenship #globaleducation #peace #notohate #notowar #worldpeace #education #tolerance #loveandkindness #nohate #onecommunity #teachers

Today is International Day of Education. With the theme being “learning for lasting peace” it’s important to reflect on the impact education has on stopping hate speech. Find out more about International Day of Education here: https://buff.ly/3XBsth1 #internationaldayofeducation #focusawards #awards #awardingbody #education #UNESCO

Competences for Peace Education: Discussion of the Framework of Competences and Toolkit Presentation 🌿We are happy to invite you to join us for the event "Competences for Peace Education: Discussion of the Framework of Competences and Toolkit Presentation," jointly organized by YPAN (Youth Peace Ambassador Network), Peace Up!, and the Graduate School for East and Southeast European Studies, at LMU Munich on March 25, 2024, from 13:00 to 16:00. 🕊️Together we will discuss the importance of peace education in today's world, as well as essential competences required for promoting a culture of peace in formal and non-formal education settings. The workshop will include a presentation of the project results from the Erasmus+-funded project "Peace Fellowship - Promoting culture of peace via strengthening cooperation of youth peace workers." The Peace Fellowship project aims to enhance the capacity and knowledge of partner organizations and the Youth Peace Ambassadors Network in the field of human rights, peace education and conflict management. In the course of the project, participating organizations collaborated on creating a Toolkit of Peace Fellowship practices and methods. 📚This workshop is open to anybody interested in learning more about peace education, especially those from schools and universities or individuals involved in youth or NGO work. Engage in an exchange of ideas, sharing best practices, addressing challenges, and identifying opportunities to incorporate peace education in your educational work. The toolkit presentation will focus on the Framework of Competences, which includes practical tools and ideas for peace education work in both formal and informal contexts. Register here: https://lnkd.in/euRjzBCj #peacefellowship #ypan #erasmus #lmu #munich #peaceeducation #toolkit