The world will observe the sixth International Day of Education today with the theme: 'Learning for Lasting Peace'. UNESCO has dedicated this year's International Day of Education to the crucial role education and teachers play in countering hate speech.
Hate speech is a phenomenon which has developed alarmingly in recent years with the use of social media, devastating the erstwhile norm and practice of traditional societies. The world is witnessing a surge of violent conflicts paralleled by an alarming rise of discrimination, racism, xenophobia, and hate speech. The impact of this violence transcends any boundary based on geography, gender, race, religion, politics, offline and online.
An active commitment to peace is more urgent today than ever: education is central to this endeavour, as underlined by the UNESCO Recommendation on Education for Peace, Human Rights and Sustainable Development. Learning for peace, therefore, must be transformative and help empower learners with the necessary knowledge, values, attitudes, skills and behaviours to become agents of peace in their communities.
The International Day of Education 2024, according to UNESCO, aims to: (a) Mobilise member states and partners to maintain education at the top of the political agenda and deliver on their TES and Education 2030 commitments; (b) Generate visibility at the local and global levels on the importance of education in strengthening and sustaining peace, as outlined in SDG-4 Target 4.7, and other global education efforts; (c) Advocate for higher levels of domestic and international financing for education in general, and education for peace in particular, especially through innovative and multi-stakeholder mechanisms and partnerships; (d) Highlight and celebrate the peacemaking role of youth and educators in and through education towards just, inclusive and peaceful societies; (e) Provide a platform to discuss priorities and challenges for education for peace in contexts of increased protracted global crisis and conflicts; (f) Rally influencers and the broader civil society to push forward the movement to bring education into the centre of local, national, regional and global peace building efforts; and (g) Raise awareness for effective approaches education for peace and mobilize commitment for their implementation.
PROGRAM AT THE UN HEADQUARTERS: To celebrate the International Day of Education, UNESCO has organised a day of dialogue on education for peace on 24 January at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. The event will mobilize Member States, UN agencies and programs, UN-affiliated NGOs committed to education for peace, teachers and other education stakeholders, and youths and be organized by UNESCO with the Group of Friends for Education and Lifelong Learning, in close collaboration with the United Nations Secretariat.
Objectives of the program, set by UNESCO, are : (a) To advocate for centring education for peace, as outlined in SDG4 Target 4.7, in global education efforts aimed at peacebuilding and sustaining peace, and celebrate peacemakers' contribution in and through education towards inclusive and peaceful societies; (b) Discuss priorities and challenges for education for lasting peace and global citizenship; (c) Raise awareness for effective approaches in education for peace and mobilize commitment for their implementation; and (d) Strengthen commitment to end hate speech and promote digital citizenship through education.
PROGRAM IN BANGLADESH: Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE) has organised a sharing meeting titled "Learning for Lasting Peace" on the occasion at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in Dhaka. More than a hundred learners, parents, teachers, civil society representatives, researchers and concerned government and non-government officials are expected to join the program. Professor Dr Gowher Rizvi, Adviser to the Hon'ble Prime Minister, will attend the program as chief Guest. Education Minister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury; State Minister for the Ministry of Women and Children Ms Simeen Hussain Rimi; and State Minister for the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education Rumana Ali will attend as guests of Honour. The Chairperson of the Education Watch initiative Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad will Chair the meeting.
AN HUMBLE VIEW: I prefer to conclude by quoting the sentence from UNESCO: 'An active commitment to peace is more urgent today than ever. Education is central to this endeavour.'
Undoubtedly, learning for peace must be a transformative process, enabling learners to gain essential knowledge, values, attitudes, skills, and behaviours, thereby empowering them to serve as catalysts for peace in their communities.
The foundation of more peaceful, just, and sustainable societies is laid through education, a force that permeates every facet of our daily lives and overall prospects. In the face of escalating climate change, democratic erosion, persistent inequalities, growing discrimination, hate speech, violence, and conflict on a global scale, education emerges as a powerful tool to both address and prevent these challenges in the future.
Moreover, when effectively shaped and implemented, education becomes a long-term investment with increasing returns. Needless to say, these are the few imperatives for lasting peace through learning in the present context and the days to come.
Prof. Quazi Faruque Ahmed is a member of National Education Policy-2010 Formulation Committee & Chairperson, Initiative for Human Development (IHD), a member organaisation of Asia Pacific Association for Basic & Adult Education (ASPBAE) [email protected]
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