UNESCO-IBE, Global Citizenship Education Series to launch Prospects special issue – UNM Newsroom

Report on the UNESCO-IBE Special Issue Launch: Advancing Sustainable Development Goals through Global Citizenship Education

Event Overview

• The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s International Bureau of Education (UNESCO-IBE) and the Global Citizenship Education Interview Series will convene to launch a special issue of the academic journal Prospects.
• The special issue, titled “Reimagining Global Citizenship Education Through Decolonial, Ethical and Critical Lenses,” directly supports the framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
• The event will explore how Global Citizenship Education (GCED) can be a catalyst for achieving key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Key Objectives and SDG Alignment

The initiative is strategically aligned with several Sustainable Development Goals, aiming to cultivate a global citizenry capable of addressing complex global challenges.

1. SDG 4: Quality Education
   • The event directly addresses Target 4.7, which calls for ensuring all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including through education for global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity.
2. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
   • By promoting decolonial, inclusive, and equitable pedagogies, the discussion aims to challenge and reduce inequalities within and among countries, a core tenet of SDG 10.
3. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
   • The focus on fostering social justice and ethical values through education contributes to the development of peaceful, just, and inclusive societies as envisioned in SDG 16.
4. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • The collaboration of leading scholars from diverse international institutions exemplifies the global partnership essential for achieving the SDGs.

Distinguished Participants

The panel comprises leading international scholars, reflecting a global partnership committed to advancing the SDGs through education:

• Farina Costanza (Director, UNESCO-IBE)
• Hans de Wit (Center for International Higher Education, Boston College, United States)
• Miri Yemini (Israel Institute of Technology)
• Yusef Waghid (Stellenbosch University, South Africa)
• Yoko Mochizuki (Education University of Hong Kong, China)
• Aryn Baxter (Colorado State University, United States)
• Emiliano T. Bosio (Tokyo University, Japan)
• Matt Witenstein (The University of New Mexico, United States)

Event Details

• Date: Thursday, November 13
• Time: 2:00 PM Geneva (6:00 AM Mountain Time)
• Platform: Zoom
• Engagement: The event will include a Q&A session to facilitate a global dialogue on the future of global citizenship education in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 4: Quality Education

   • The article is centered on an event by UNESCO-IBE about “Global Citizenship Education” (GCED). This directly relates to SDG 4, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. The focus on reimagining educational pedagogies to be more “decolonial, ethical and critical” is at the core of improving the quality and relevance of education.

2. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • The article explicitly states that the event will explore how GCED can “foster social justice, inclusion and equity” in an “unequal world.” This aligns with SDG 10, which focuses on reducing inequality within and among countries. The discussion of “decolonial” lenses directly addresses the historical and systemic roots of global inequalities.

3. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

   • By aiming to cultivate “ethical values” and promote “social justice,” the Global Citizenship Education discussed in the article contributes to the goals of SDG 16. This goal seeks to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development. Educating global citizens with a critical understanding of justice and equity is fundamental to building strong, just, and inclusive institutions.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 4.7 (under SDG 4)

   • Target 4.7: “By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.”
   • Explanation: The article’s entire focus is on an event for a special issue on “Reimagining Global Citizenship Education.” This directly corresponds to the “global citizenship” component of Target 4.7. The themes of cultivating “ethical values,” “social justice, inclusion and equity,” and using “decolonial, ethical and critical lenses” are all part of the knowledge and skills this target aims to impart.

2. Target 10.2 (under SDG 10)

   • Target 10.2: “By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.”
   • Explanation: The article mentions that the scholars will explore how GCED can “foster social justice, inclusion and equity.” This educational goal is a direct means to achieve the social and political inclusion described in Target 10.2. The focus on “decolonial” perspectives specifically addresses the inclusion of marginalized voices and histories, challenging inequalities based on origin and ethnicity.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Implied Indicator for Target 4.7

   • Indicator 4.7.1: “Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment.”
   • Explanation: The article does not mention this indicator by name, but its subject matter serves as a direct example of efforts to measure and advance it. The launch of a UNESCO-IBE Prospects special issue titled “Reimagining Global Citizenship Education Through Decolonial, Ethical and Critical Lenses” is a clear instance of mainstreaming GCED within academic discourse and curricula (component b). The event itself, featuring leading scholars and educators from around the world, contributes to teacher education and professional development (component c). The publication and the event are tangible outputs that demonstrate progress in integrating critical GCED into the global education landscape.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets and Indicators

Source: news.unm.edu