ESD-Net 2030 Asia-Pacific Regional Meeting – ‘Transforming Education for a Sustainable Asia-Pacific Region’

Overview  

Global Context 

UNESCO is the lead United Nations agency on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) since the United Nations Decade of Education (2005-2014). ESD is an integral element of the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030, in particular Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), and a key enabler of all other SDGs. 

At the global level, the Education for Sustainable Development: A Roadmap provides guidance to countries in their development of initiatives for ESD for 2030. Education for Sustainable Development: Towards achieving the SDGs (ESD for 2030) is the global framework for the implementation of ESD for the period 2020–2030. ESD for 2030 builds upon the lessons learned from the Global Action Programme on ESD (GAP, 2015–2019), in response to the increased importance placed on ESD to promote the contribution of learning content to the survival and prosperity of humanity.  

As part of the implementation of ESD for 2030 and its five Priority Action Areas,1 Member States are encouraged to develop and implement ‘country initiatives’ to mainstream ESD into their efforts for pursuing sustainable development. The country initiative on ESD for 2030  should reflect a national scope, in that it includes activities that have or potentially could have a country-wide impact. The country initiative can build on existing activities related to ESD or create a new initiative, if necessary, in the context of SDG 4 contributions (e.g. curriculum review, teacher development, and so forth) and expand them where possible. Ideally, it is recommended to integrate the ESD for 2030 Country Initiatives into the existing national frameworks on the SDGs, in particular SDG 4, but also SDG 12 and SDG 13, among others, in order to ensure coherent action at the country level.  

To support countries with the implementation of ESD for 2030, UNESCO has launched a new global network: ESD-Net 2030. This network aims to facilitate the implementation of the ESD for 2030 framework and its Roadmap by providing a platform of exchange and collaboration organized according to four main objectives: 1) knowledge sharing & mutual learning; 2) advocacy; 3) collaboration; and 4) monitoring and evaluation.  

As part of the global ESD-Net 2030 activities, UNESCO will organize regional meetings on ESD, with the generous support of the Government of Japan through its Japanese-Funds-In-Trust (JFIT), to share the progress, needs, challenges and concrete implementation plans for ESD for 2030 Country Initiatives. Additionally, in the lead-up to these regional meetings, UNESCO will organize a series of virtual preparatory workshops (at regional or sub-regional level) to support Member States with the preparation, planning and implementation of their country initiatives. 

The above initiatives enable us to put into practice the key messages from the UNESCO Report on Reimagining our Futures Together: A New Social Contract for Education, launched during UNESCO's 41st General Conference in November 2021. The report places Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) at the centre of reimagining education, and reemphasizes the importance of the transformative potential of education towards sustainable societies and protecting the environment. It is vital to redefine our relations not only with each other but also with our planet and our environment if we are to live together peacefully and sustainably. 

Introduction - 

Organized by the UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office in Bangkok, in collaboration with the UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office in Jakarta, and under the guidance of UNESCO Headquarters. This meeting is supported by the Government of Japan through the Japanese Fund-in-Trust (JFIT), and co-hosted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of Indonesia. 

The ESD-Net 2030 Asia-Pacific Meeting will provide a platform for member states to take stock of the progress on ESD for 2030 Country Initiatives in the Asia-Pacific region and enable knowledge exchange of planning and implementation experiences that reflect region-specific needs and approaches for ESD for 2030. In addition, the meeting will bring together Ministries of Education and strategic partners at regional and national levels to strengthen synergies and expand cross-sectoral collaboration of existing ESD projects and initiatives, further ESD country initiatives, discuss how countries can leverage the new global network of education stakeholders: ESD-Net 2030, as well as the Greening Education Partnership (GEP) to support their country initiatives while planning on the way forward in advancing ESD.

The ESD-Net 2030 Asia-Pacific Regional Meeting will be a key opportunity to build on the momentum of the second Asia-Pacific Ministerial Education Ministers’ Conference (APREMC II), the recent Transforming Education Summit (TES) in New York, and the global launch of the ESD for 2030 Global Network (ESD-Net 2030) amongst other key activities/forums (recent and upcoming COP meetings amongst others). The outcomes of this meeting will be a regional contribution leading to the discussions at the Global ESD-Net 2030 Meeting in Japan in December 2023. 

Dates and Venue 
12 – 14 June 2023
Bintang Bali Resort, Bali, Indonesia

Working languages
English, with simultaneous interpretation for selected sessions available in Russian. Working documents will be made available in English.

Provisional concept note and agenda.

Main photo credit: Smile-Sky Ztudio/shutterstock