The 20th annual celebration of Global Education Week starts today. Until the 25th of November 2018, under the theme “The World is changing, what about us”, non-governmental organisations in partnership with schools, local authorities, communities or local media educators are organising seminars, debates, interactive workshops and much more in over 40 countries across Europe.

This year’s theme focuses on sustainable lifestyles and relates directly to the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) which aim to eliminate extreme poverty, reduce inequalities and combat the threat of climate change by 2030. It is a call to rethink our habits and ways of living, spending and consuming but also find new ways of education and socialisation. Through taking charge of waste, pollution, emissions and the use of natural resources, sustainable lifestyles are key in protecting the environment. This is why this year’s theme calls for reflections about our daily activities, future aspirations and the impact we can have in influencing change.

Coordinators in each country

The event is relayed by the North-South Centre's Global Education Network which coordinates the activities developed during the Global Education Week (GEW). The network encompasses key national level stakeholders, who, throughout Europe, share global education strategies and practices. Currently the network includes over 40 countries. You can consult the activities organised in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Turkey, and the United-Kingdom interactive map available on this website.

The website also offers guidance on how to engage and organise an activity (and report it) during the Week and plenty of resources to seethe the imagination. It gives access to the contacts of the Global Education network national coordinators and the activity registration form. A specific campaign on global education and media literacy is launched simultaneously on the North-South Centre social media channels facebook and twitter .

How global challenges relate to local level

It is fundamental to offer educators and learners the opportunity and the competences to understand how global Sustainable Development Goals start at local, grassroots level. In this context, global education is a pedagogical approach that fosters multiple perspectives and the deconstruction of stereotypes. It builds on the global dimensions of education for citizenship such as development, human rights, sustainability, peace and conflict prevention and intercultural dialogue. It lays on non-formal learner-centred and participatory methodology to foster critical analysis and active citizenship.

Furthermore, global education echoes the priorities defined in the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Global education topics and priorities cover mainly SDGs 4 (quality education), 5 (gender equality), 16 (peace and justice) and 17 (partnerships for the goals) - but also goals 1 (no poverty); 10 (reduced inequalities); 11 (sustainable cities and communities); 12 (responsible consumption) and 13 (climate action).