United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development

Citation

(2005), "United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development", International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Vol. 6 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijshe.2005.24906aab.003

United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development

The UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, from January 2005 to December 2014, provides a significant opportunity for educators of all types to collaborate in creating a sustainable future. Unesco, as the lead agency for the Decade, has put together an informative web site, with an abundance of information on ESD and strategies for implementation of the Decade (see …

The Unesco strategy for the Decade states: “The international community now strongly believes that we need to foster – through education – the values, behavior and lifestyles required for a sustainable future. Education for sustainable development has come to be seen as a process of learning how to make decisions that consider the long-term future of the economy, ecology and equity of all communities. Building the capacity for such futures-oriented thinking is a key task of education” (Framework for a Draft International Implementation Scheme, July 2003)

This statement reinforces the notion that progress toward sustainability requires education that cultivates respect for diversity, more caring relationships between humans and the natural world, and more environmentally and socially responsible forms of development.

Unesco has engaged in a variety of activities to prepare for the launch of the DESD in January 2005. The Framework for a Draft International Implementation Scheme was prepared and over 2,000 responses to it were received from many stakeholders. The final framework was presented to the General Assembly in fall 2004. Unesco has also set the frame for national launches and regional strategies and developed a range of communications materials.

Many countries have been organizing for the Decade, some with official committees/councils for the Decade appointed by their national commissions for Unesco (such as Japan and Germany), others with grassroots efforts (such as the USA), others combining both official and unofficial approaches (Portugal, Greece, the Philippines, etc.)

A major task for Unesco over the next months is to assist in the launch the Decade at international, regional and national levels. The tentative schedule for the international launch is January-February 2005, and for the national launches, April-May 2005. Please stay in touch with Unesco regarding your activities related to ESD and the Decade, and help them keep all countries and regions informed about our global efforts in building a more sustainable world through education. Further information at: www.unesco.org/education/desd/