“Learning for Lasting Peace” is the theme of this year’s International Day of Education. Global Education serves as the cornerstone for nurturing the principles of solidarity, understanding, and cooperation among individuals and communities. Teachers and educators play a crucial role in instilling the essential values that foster a culture of peace. For over three decades, the North-South Centre has been disseminating Global Education concept and methodologies and advocating for their inclusion in formal and non-formal education policies.

The link between global education and peace was at the heart of North-South Centre’s activities in 2023, in particular the University on Youth and Development on over-arching theme of “Youth, Peace and Climate Change” and the Global Education Week dedicated to “Peace for the planet. A planet of peace”.

Throughout the same year, there has been notable progress in the education sector, facilitating the process of advancing Global Education. Among them, the 4th Summit of the Council of Europe in Reykjavík saw European leaders reaffirming their commitment to core values, initiating educational efforts on democracy, environment, and artificial intelligence. Post-Summit, Education Ministers launched a new Education Strategy 2024-2030, introduced a European Space for Citizenship Education, and tackled emergency education rights with a toolkit. Initiatives like the 2025 European Year of Digital Citizenship Education and Artificial intelligence regulation in education were set in motion. November 2023 saw the adoption of UNESCO's Recommendation on Education for Peace, Human Rights and Sustainable Development. It outlines how education can foster peace and development through guiding principles. It updates the Recommendation from 1974, which had been under revision for the past two years to ensure it responds to today's greatest challenges. 

In 2024, the North-South Centre will continue to advocate for Global Education as a priority within the Council of Europe. The Centre uses its unique “quadrilogue” methodology to enhance and enable networking and policy dialogue between Global Education actors from civil society, local and regional authorities, parliaments and governments. it benefits from its wide geographical mandate to work with peers and colleagues from non European countries to engage in mutual learning and support.
As part of the project iLEGEND III: Intercultural Learning Exchange through Global Education, Networking and Dialogue (2022-2026), it will continue to create opportunities for youth, policymakers and educators to become more familiar with and be trained on global education methodologies. It especially looks forward to further engaging in mutual learning, support and capacity-building with the members of the Global Education Network, as well as actively campaigning with them to inspire people, individually and collectively, to take action for a world of greater peace, solidarity, social and climate justice.