The goal of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014, DESD), for which UNESCO is the lead agency, is to integrate the principles, values, and practices of sustainable development into all aspects of education and learning. This educational effort will encourage changes in behaviour that will create a more sustainable future in terms of environmental integrity, economic viability, and a just society for present and future generations.

News

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UNEP Paint for the Planet event and exhibit 17-10-2008 () - UNEP's new initiative "Paint for the Planet" is part of the global United Nations campaign ‘UNite to Combat Climate Change’ aimed at supporting the call for a definitive agreement on climate change in Copenhagen, December 2009. - More

Call for papers for the 5th World Environmental Education Congress extended 08-10-2008 () - The deadline for the call for papers for the 5th World Environmental Education Congress to be hosted in Montreal, 10-14 May 2009 has been extended until October 15 2008! Types of submissions include: oral presentations, poster presentations, roundtable presentations, workshops, and NGO/NPO forums. - More

Announcing the Tokyo International Forum on ESD Dialogue 2008 (Tokyo, 3-5 December 2008) 08-10-2008 () - The International Forum on ESD Dialogue will discuss the progress of DESD implementation in light of the upcoming 2009 Bonn World Conference on ESD, and explore mechanisms to further strengthen the promotion and implementation of ESD during the second half of the Decade. The Tokyo ESD Forum will seek to identify strategic projects for the second half of the decade, and to move from a discussion on “what is ESD” to “what we must do now”. - More

UNESCO conference on adult learning, equity and sustainability in the Asia-Pacific region 03-10-2008 (UNESCO) - Adult learning and education in the Asia-Pacific region is the focus of a UNESCO conference taking place in Seoul from 6 to 8 October, 2008. Hosted by the Government of the Republic of Korea, the Conference will bring together ministers of education and other representatives of governments and multilateral partners, regional NGOs, experts and stakeholders from the private sector, universities and the media. - More

Gaia Education Design for Sustainability virtual programme launched 10-09-2008 () - Gaia Education in partnership with UOC Open University of Catalunya launches its first virtual programme as a contribution to the DESD. The programme based on the four core pillars of the Ecovillage Design Curriculum: the social, worldview, ecological and economic dimensions of sustainability - More

Announcing the International Conference on Education for Sustainable Development (Bordeaux, October 27 - 29, 2008) 04-08-2008 () - As part of the French presidency of the European Union, the French National Committee of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development is organising an international conference in Bordeaux, from October 27 - 29, 2008, gathering French and international stakeholders in education, training, information relating to sustainable development. - More

The Contribution of Early Childhood Education to a Sustainable Society 29-05-2008 (UNESCO) - “The Contribution of Early Childhood Education to a Sustainable Society” explains how to educate young children with the aim of preventing further degradation of our planet and contributing to a sustainable society where values of human rights, peace and justice are upheld. - More

First meeting of the International Advisory Committee for for the World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development 17-04-2008 (UNESCO) - For the first time, members of the International Advisory Committee for the "World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development: Moving into the Second Half of the UN Decade" will come together in Berlin on 21 and 22 April 2008. - More

Education for sustainable development hits the headlines 16-04-2008 (UNESCO) - Where can the media find reliable information about education for sustainable development? What angles should they use to explain it to readers? UNESCO’s new training manual “Media as Partners in Education for Sustainable Development” answers these questions and more. - More

Global Action Week: Kenya gets ready to tackle exclusion 25-03-2008 (UNESCO Nairobi) - A slum in Nairobi, Kenya will be the setting of the “World's Biggest Lesson” organized by UNESCO on 23 April. Part of Global Action Week 2008 (21-27 April), the event will highlight the education needs of children and youth in Nairobi slums who were affected by violence and social exclusion following the recent post-election crisis. - More

Announcing the 2009 World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development 21-12-2007 (UNESCO) - UNESCO’s Director-General and Assistant Director-General for Education have announced that the World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development – Moving into the Second Half of the UN Decade” will be held in Bonn, Germany, from 31 March to 2 April 2009. - More

Documents

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Ahmedabad Declaration
The Ahmedabad Declaration 2007 was adopted by the Fourth International Conference on Environmental Education (ICEE) in 2007 in Ahmedabad. It was drafted in the context of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD).
Survey of learning materials on Education for Sustainable Development
Within the framework of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD), and in order to widely disseminate information on existing learning materials on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), UNESCO wishes to identify available teaching and learning materials related to ESD such as: teaching approaches, teacher guidelines, teaching kits, toolkits, textbooks, CDRoms; etc. and any other teaching aids.
UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development Highlights
The July 2008 DESD Quarterly Highlights for the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development is available.

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UN DESD Global Monitoring and Evaluation Framework (GMEF) Operational Plan
In fulfilling its role as the lead agency in the coordination and mobilisation of the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD), UNESCO is expected to present a global progress report on the implementation of the DESD to the UNESCO Executive Board and General Conference at the end of each biennium and a mid-Decade progress report to the UN General Assembly in 2010.

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