UNESCO to hold World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development in Bonn (Germany)

Paris, 12 March

• © Tang Ming
• Two primary school students observe a dying fish in Baicao River, Sichuan Province

The UNESCO World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) will be held in Bonn (Germany) from 31 March to 2 April. Entitled “Moving into the Second Half of the UN Decade”, the event will bring together some 700 experts and stakeholders.

Organized in partnership with the German Ministry of Education and Research, the conference marks the midpoint of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014), for which UNESCO is the lead agency.

The conference will underline the relevance of ESD to all of education; promote international exchange on ESD, especially between North and South; assess results of the Decade’s implementation; and develop strategies for the future. A final declaration will be adopted reflecting debates and proposing guidelines for the next five years.

Among the conference’s highlights, Queen Rania of Jordan, international advocate for education, and Graça Machel, international advocate for women's and children's rights and former Minister of Education and Culture in Mozambique, will present keynote speeches.

Thirty-six ministers from all over the world have already confirmed their participation in the conference’s High-Level Segment (31 March). The session will provide an opportunity for ministers and UN representatives to discuss experiences related to DESD implementation.

On 1 April, all participants will be invited to sign up for workshops at ongoing ESD projects in the Bonn region, to promote international exchange of good practices. An exhibition during the conference will showcase 25 ESD projects from around the world.

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) seeks to integrate the values and practices of sustainable development into all aspects of education. The World Conference on ESD is one of UNESCO's four global Education Conferences organized in 2008-2009 to discuss education priorities.

• Author(s):Media Advisory N°2009-15
• Source:UNESCOPRESS
• 12-03-2009