REPORT BY THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL ON THE UNITED NATIONS DECADE OF EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: INTERNATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION SCHEME AND UNESCO’S CONTRIBUTION TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECADE

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Executive Board ex Hundred and seventy-second session 172 EX/11 PARIS, 11 August 2005 Original: English Item 10 of the provisional agenda REPORT BY THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL ON THE UNITED NATIONS DECADE OF EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: INTERNATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION SCHEME AND UNESCO’S CONTRIBUTION TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECADE Draft International implementation scheme for the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014) SUMMARY The document has been prepared in pursuance of 171 EX/Decision 6 and in conformity with United Nations resolution 59/237, which requests the Director-General to submit the draft International Implementation Scheme for the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD) to the Executive Board for its final consideration and adoption. Decision proposed: paragraph 6. 172 EX/11 United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (resolution 59/237) 1. In December 2002, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted resolution 57/254 to put in place a United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD), spanning from 2005 to 2014. UNESCO was requested to lead the Decade and develop a draft International Implementation Scheme (IIS) for the Decade. 2. This draft consolidated Scheme thus fulfils the request of resolution 57/254 and is the result of extensive consultations with United Nations agencies, national governments, civil society organizations and NGOs, experts and specialists. UNESCO action 3. The draft International Implementation Scheme was presented to the 171st session of the Executive Board. In 171 EX/Decision 6, the Executive Board took note of the international implementation scheme and invited the Director-General to present a “more strategically focused, consolidated version of the scheme” at the Executive Board’s 172nd session. 4. Education for sustainable development (ESD) has its roots in the history of two distinct areas of interest of the United Nations – education and sustainable development. The primary goal for the DESD is laid out in the UNGA resolution 59/237 in which the General Assembly “encourages Governments to consider the inclusion … of measures to implement the Decade in their respective education systems and strategies and, where appropriate, into national development plans”. Furthermore, the General Assembly “invites Governments to promote public awareness of and wider participation in the Decade inter alia, through cooperation with and initiatives engaging civil society and other relevant stakeholders, especially at the beginning of the Decade”. 5. Within the broad goals of the General Assembly resolution, subgoals for the DESD were thus identified: • Provide an opportunity for refining and promoting the vision of, and transition to sustainable development – through all forms of education, public awareness and training. • Give an enhanced profile to the important role of education and learning in sustainable development. The objectives for the DESD are to: - facilitate networking, linkages, exchange and interaction among stakeholders in ESD; - foster an increased quality of teaching and learning in education for sustainable development; - help countries make progress towards and attain the millennium development goals through ESD efforts; - provide countries with new opportunities to incorporate ESD into education reform efforts. 172 EX/11 – page 2 Proposed draft decision 6. In the light of the above information, the Executive Board may wish to adopt a decision along the following lines: The Executive Board, 1. Recalling United Nations General Assembly resolutions 57/254, 58/219 and 59/237 concerning the United Nations “Decade of Education for Sustainable Development” (DESD), 2. Further recalling the presentation of a shorter version of the draft framework for the Implementation Scheme (Annex I of the present document) for the DESD at the 32nd session of the General Conference (32 C/INF.9), and of a draft International Implementation Scheme at the Executive Board’s 171st session (171 EX/7), 3. Having examined document 172 EX/11, 4. Considers and adopts the consolidated text of the International Implementation Scheme (Annex I of the present document) elaborated by UNESCO through extensive consultations with United Nations agencies, national governments, civil society organizations and NGOs, experts and specialists; 5. Invites the Director-General to take all necessary measures to further ensure UNESCO’s response to United Nations General Assembly resolutions 57/254, 58/219 and 59/237; 6. Further invites the Director-General to pursue his consultations with other United Nations agencies, with Member States and with civil society and NGOs with a view to facilitating the smooth implementation of the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development; 7. Requests the Director-General to ensure wide dissemination of this consolidated International Implementation Scheme to Member States, other United Nations agencies, civil society organizations and NGOs. 172 EX/11 Annex I ANNEX I DRAFT CONSOLIDATED INTERNATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION SCHEME I. OBJECTIVE OF THE INTERNATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION SCHEME In December 2002, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted resolution 57/254 to put in place a United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD), spanning from 2005 to 2014. UNESCO was requested to lead the Decade and develop a draft International Implementation Scheme (IIS) for the Decade. This document fulfils the request for an IIS and is the result of extensive consultations with United Nations agencies, national governments, civil society organizations and NGOs, experts and specialists. Starting with an initial consultation with United Nations partners in September 2003, UNESCO shared a framework for the IIS worldwide. More than two thousand contributions were received, many of these representing the consolidation of opinions of hundreds. The draft Scheme was widely circulated and eventually reviewed by leading academics and experts in the field, before it was submitted, in July 2004, to the High-Level Panel on the Decade, which advises the Director-General of UNESCO on this topic. It was presented at the 59th session of the United Nations General Assembly (New York, 18-19 October 2004), and then at the 171st session of the UNESCO Executive Board (Paris, April 2005). The IIS sets out a broad framework for all partners to contribute to the Decade. It is a strategic document that focuses primarily on what nations have committed to achieve through the DESD and under UNESCO’s leadership. It summarizes the goals and objectives of the Decade, and its relationship to other key education movements. It emphasizes the importance of partnership in the eventual success of the Decade and outlines how these might contribute at all levels – community, national, regional, and international. It outlines UNESCO’s leadership tasks. The IIS also lists key milestones for the DESD. It then lays out seven strategies for moving forward with ESD and describes how this wide range of partners can develop contributions based on their particular contexts. Those not familiar with the background of the Decade or Education for Sustainable Development are referred to Annex II of this document, which provides a succinct summary of key trends as well as other important background information. The IIS should foster collective ownership of the DESD. The IIS describes pathways forward in the hope that it will stimulate imagination, creativity, and energy to make the DESD a success. It is envisaged that regions and nations will create plans, strategic approaches, and timetables on the basis of the framework provided by this International Implementation Scheme. II. THE UNITED NATIONS DECADE OF EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT A. Goals of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development The United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development is a complex and far-reaching undertaking. The environmental, social, and economic implications are enormous and touch many aspects of life of the world’s population. The overall goal of the DESD 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 172 EX/11 Annex I – page 2 sustainable future in terms of environmental integrity, economic viability, and a just society for present and future generations. The primary goal for the DESD is laid out in the United Nations General Assembly resolutions 59/237 in which the General Assembly “encourages Governments to consider the inclusion … of measures to implement the Decade in their respective education systems and strategies and, where appropriate, national development plans”. Furthermore, the General Assembly “invites Governments to promote public awareness of and wider participation in the Decade, inter alia, through cooperation with and initiatives engaging civil society and other relevant stakeholders, especially at the beginning of the Decade”. Within the broad goals established by the General Assembly, subgoals for the DESD at the national level are to: • Provide an opportunity for refining and promoting the vision of and transition to sustainable development – through all forms of education, public awareness and training. • Give an enhanced profile to the important role of education and learning in sustainable development. The objectives for the DESD are to: - facilitate networking, linkages, exchange and interaction among stakeholders in ESD; - foster an increased quality of teaching and learning in education for sustainable development; - help countries make progress towards and attain the millennium development goals through ESD efforts; - provide countries with new opportunities to incorporate ESD into education reform efforts. Recognizing that how sustainable development, and related educational processes are attained will vary from context to context, these objectives will share the key tasks for UNESCO to perform in support of Member States through its role as lead agency of the Decade. UNESCO’s leadership role and, in fact, the task of Member States are also defined by the four major thrusts of education for sustainable development: - improving access to quality basic education; - reorienting existing education programmes; - developing public understanding and awareness. - providing training.1 To set the stage for understanding the IIS, three areas require brief discussion. These are sustainability issues that need to be included in educational activities, the role of values in ESD, and the linkages between the Decade and other educational initiatives. 1 These are discussed in greater detail in the last part of this IIS. ... - tailieumienphi.vn