In November 2023, at the 42nd session of the UNESCO General Conference, 194 countries unanimously adopted by consensus the Recommendation on education for peace and human rights, international understanding, cooperation, fundamental freedoms, global citizenship and sustainable development. Commonly referred to as the Recommendation on Education for Peace, Human Rights and Sustainable Development. The 2023 Recommendation updates the original ‘1974 Recommendation’, which played a pivotal role in uniting nations around the idea of education as a primary catalyst for peace and international understanding.

The Recommendation represents the only global standard-setting instrument which provides the legal foundation for Target 4.72 of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), commonly known as the Education SDG, as it lays out how education can, and should be used to bring about lasting peace and sustainable development in the twenty-first century.

In the Asia-Pacific region, there is consensus and commitment among governments that education should be transformed to respond to twenty-first-century challenges and serve a central role in accelerating the progress of the SDGs. Ministers have affirmed the urgent need for reimagining and transforming education systems towards becoming more equitable, inclusive, relevant, flexible, and resilient, as well as towards addressing the current learning crisis, building more peaceful, inclusive, and sustainable societies, and realizing SDG 4 with meaningful youth participation. In this context, the newly adopted Recommendation and its follow-up measures offer opportunities to accelerate reform efforts and strengthen engagements towards the achievement of SDG 4, and Target 4.7 in particular, but also SDG 12, 13 and 16.

The upcoming Regional Policy Dialogue will serve as an Asia-Pacific regional launch of the newly-adopted Recommendation as the first in an ongoing regional series.

This meeting, tailored to the specificities and diversity of the region, will be centered around the promotion, and unpacking of the Recommendation. It will further serve as a catalyst for collaborative efforts between the designated focal points of Asia-Pacific and other relevant stakeholders across sectors, including youth.

Participation is by invitation only.