The Role of Global Citizenship Education in the 2030 Agenda and Beyond

Thursday, April 26, 2018  Conference Room 3, UNHQ, New York.

This was a very important seminar as Global Citizenship Education (GCED) plays a vital role in achieving the UN 2030 Agenda. It is target #7 within Goal 4. This year celebrates 70 years for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the seminar aimed at shedding new light on how GCED can help the United Nations implement and advance progress towards realizing sustainable development through upholding the human rights of each and every individual.

GCED builds on peace and human rights education and emphasizes the need to foster the knowledge, skills, values, attitudes, and behaviors that allow individuals to experience a sense of belonging to the global community and to take informed decisions.

A few panels of experienced speakers shared many strong points that support the purpose of the UN recognizing the value of Global Citizenship Education.

Scott Carlin, Professor, Long Island University, Post, posed an vital question to the panelists: are the SDGs Goals Utopian? If not, how do we see the UN achieving these goals? He reiterated that GCED is a fun, systematic, and positive approach to reach the 2030 Agenda. If an International Day for Education is recognized, that would go a far way in raising awareness in children to global citizenship.

Scott Carlin, Professor at the Long Island University, Post

GCED is  not about knowing but about fostering what they already know in order to build peaceful and safer communities that are values-based and sustainable. Social and emotional learning is embedded in GCED.

Ms. Marie Paule Roudil, Director of UNESCO, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, Liaison Office, NY, mentioned that UNESCO is already supporting teachers in the classrooms in various countries, working towards to creating a common humanity.  Ms. Rita Verma, Associate Professor of Education, Delhi University, stated that teachers need to be inspired to actively practice GCED in their classrooms. It was observed that to take Human Rights seriously, it is essential that GCED is introduced in schools. It was further noted that 60% of text books don’t mention activities outside their national borders, making the prospects of global citizenship a tough accomplishment. However, it was found that GCED is more common in Latin America and the Caribbean than in the Middle East and Africa.

This seminar was co-hosted by the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the UN, United Nations Academic Impact, UNESCO, and Asia-Pacific Centre of education for International Understanding.

In conclusion, the understanding that we all share this one earth, we each have a right to be here and to enjoy happiness, that Mother Earth has provided for all our needs, that it is a humane quality to share what we have with those in need, to live and let live, this understanding will make teaching Global Citizenship Education a possibility and a pleasure.