Uppsala seminar to strengthen education for a sustainable planet

125 researchers, policymakers, teachers and educators are invited to join the seminar: ”ESD - Call for Action” on 3 June 2014 at Blåsenhus, Uppsala University to discuss and formulate recommendations to reinforce and strengthen education for sustainable development (ESD) in Sweden and abroad.

The results from the meeting in Uppsala will be presented and discussed with Swedish policymakers on 27 August 2014 at Rosenbad Conference Centre in Stockholm, in preparation for the UNESCO World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, 10-12 November 2014.

Education occupies a central place in the current public debate. Its ability to strengthen community development, generate creativity and reinforce the beneficial aspects of globalization is discussed more than ever.

-    Education can help people to address the big challenges of our times – in environment, equity, health social justice and natural resource use on a limited planet. Therefore, increasing education’s relevance is crucial for how humanity will create the conditions for a sustainable future. We hope that Sweden continues to be in the forefront of education for sustainable development. But that will not happen without a clear action plan and a holistic perspective, says Mats Djurberg, Secretary General of the Swedish National Commission for UNESCO.

SWEDESD at Uppsala University, financially supported by the Swedish government, supports the capacity and policy development for education for sustainable development in formal- and informal education, in Sweden and abroad.

- The two seminars of June and August are important steps in supporting policy development for learning and education that take us toward a sustainable future, says Frans Lenglet, director at SWEDESD.

WWF Sweden has a long tradition of supporting educators and schools in sustainable development.

 - During the UN Decade, sustainable development has been incorporated in the new curricula, and that’s good! But now we need to turn the words into actions in schools and teacher education institutions. And that will require strong support, says Gunilla Elsässer, Head of Unit, WWF Sweden.

Organizers: SWEDESD (Swedish International Centre of Education for Sustainable Development) at Uppsala University – Campus Gotland, Swedish National Commission for UNESCO, WWF Sweden and the Global School.

Background

Experiences from the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development will be summarized at the UNESCO World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, 10-12 November 2014. At the UN Conferences on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg (2002) and Rio de Janeiro (2012), Sweden played a leading role in supporting education for sustainable development. Most recently Sweden endorsed the Rio+20 outcome document ”The Future We Want”. It emphasizes the importance of education and learning for achieving sustainable development. Under the auspices of UNESCO, a new Global Action Plan on ESD is currently being prepared for the period after 2014.

Contact:

Susanne Zetterblom, Coordinator, SWEDESD, Uppsala University – Campus Gotland
tfn: +46 703 145540, e-mail: susanne.zetterblom@swedesd.uu.se

Per Magnusson, Education and Science Coordinator at the Swedish National Commission for Unesco,
tfn: 08-40532528, mobile: 0702-295889, e-mail: per.magnusson@regeringskansliet.se

Gunilla Elsässer, Head of Unit, Ecological Footprints, WWF Sweden,
tfn: +46 8 624 74 22, +46 70 712 93 26, e-mail: gunilla.elsasser@wwf.se

Anna Mogren, Educational Consultant, The Global School
tfn: +46 706 180416, e-mail: anna.mogren@denglobalaskolan.com

Publications:

National Journeys towards Education for Sustainable Development, 2013: reviewing national ESD experiences from Costa Rica, Morocco, South Africa, Sweden, Viet Nam
UNESCO, 2013

Shaping the Education of Tomorrow: 2012 Report on the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, Abridged. UNESCO 2012

Proposal For A Global Action Programme On Education For Sustainable Development As Follow-Up To The United Nations Decade Of Education For Sustainable Development (Desd) After 2014
UNESCO 2013