Gyeongju Action Plan: NGOs join UNESCO in global citizenship education push

UNESCO’s priority mission to strengthen global citizenship education and advocate for its integral role in achieving the Agenda for Sustainable Development was bolstered at the recent United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI)/Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Conference.

The 66th UN DPI/NGO Conference, held from 30 May to June 1 in Gyeongju, Republic of Korea, brought together hundreds of members of civil society organizations, diplomats, United Nations officials, policy-makers and more under the theme, “Education for Global Citizenship:  Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals Together”. The conference was opened by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

The conference culminated in the “Gyeongju Action Plan”, in which NGO participants affirmed their collective belief in the importance of Sustainable Development Goal 4 charting the Education 2030 agenda, recognized GCED as “an essential strategy” to address modern challenges. Under the plan, they commit to GCED principles, such as promoting education that celebrates diversity and collaboration at all levels of society and across cultures. (Full Gyeongju Action Plan).

The action plan specifically cites UNESCO’s foundational initiatives in GCED, including the 2013 UNESCO Forum on GCED and the UNESCO Clearinghouse on GCED. It calls upon UNESCO to continue its important work in GCED. It also makes reference to the 2014 UNESCO World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development and the landmark 2015 World Education Forum.

Speaking at the conference’s opening plenary, UNESCO Bangkok Director Gwang-Jo Kim stressed the urgency of the need to embrace the principles of GCED and put them into practice. “I believe we are in a race today,” he said, “a race to educate, engage, nurture, and include all young women and men, young and old, to provide them with a sense of solidarity as global citizens, give them the skills and values they need to tackle the challenges of our times.”

In addition to organizing a highly active booth featuring the organization’s publications, UNESCO took a leading role in a plenary roundtable and two workshops at the forum.

In the plenary on “Global Citizens as Stewards of the Planet”, Alexander Leicht, Chief of UNESCO's Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship section, emphasized the power of education to contribute to environmental sustainability and respond to climate change. He shared information about an upcoming UNESCO publication that spells out learning objectives for each of the Sustainable Development Goals.

In the concurrent workshop "Bridging Formal and Non-formal Education through Global Citizenship Education," organized by the Asia-Pacific Centre of Education for International Understanding (APCEIU).  he stressed the need for learning to be more holistic, incorporating communities and real life contexts – an approach he summed up as "learn what you live, live what you learn."  

Another well-attended concurrent session, organized by UNESCO, focused on Target 7 of SDG 4, which includes global citizenship as a tool to ensure “that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development.” A panel of experts and participants examined the many dimensions of Target 4.7, such as sustainable development, gender, human rights and peace, sharing promising practices, discussing challenges to achieving it and exploring possible solutions, with the aim of supporting NGO mobilization in achieving the target.

“To achieve Target 4.7, the engagement of all development and education stakeholders is crucial,” Bangkok Director Kim said. “NGOs played an important role in shaping the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. They should play a significant part in implementing it. This should start with partnerships.

“I call on all NGOs and their networks to join our efforts in making SDG 4, Target 4.7 into a reality.”

Toward that end, the Gyeongju Action Plan will be widely disseminated to provide NGOs with guidance in their efforts to lobby governments in ensuring that the SDGs are met.

For more, please visit:

Conference website

Global Citizenship Education Topics and Learning Objectives to provide guidance on pedagogy 

UNESCO Clearinghouse on Global Citizenship Education hosted by APCEIU.