Power of education: Lifelong learning for sustainable development, peace building and the end of poverty

What role can education and schooling play in contributing to a more just, equitable and peaceful world, where there is sustainable economic and social development for all, and an end to poverty? Although current international action to achieve lifelong Education for All (EFA), Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) provides a useful foundation for action, this is not sufficient. It is also important to give greater attention to devising concrete, action-orientated ways of promoting social justice and peace building, through means such as lifelong learning, values/ethics education, skills development for employability and high quality, relevant educational research, in the light of political realities. This presentation will focus on the work of the United Nations (UN), and in particular UNESCO, which is the specialist UN organisation concerned with strengthening and upgrading education and schooling in developing countries, countries in transition and those in a post-conflict situation. Copyright © 2010 The Hong Kong Institute of Education.