The United Nations is observing January 24 as International Day of Education to highlight the important role that education plays in maintaining peace and development across the world.
As per the official website, "UNESCO dedicated the International Day of Education to the crucial role education and teachers play in countering hate speech, a phenomenon which has snowballed in recent years with the use of social media, damaging the fabric of our societies. Today, 250 million children and youth are out of school, and 763 million adults are illiterate. Their right to education is being violated and it is unacceptable. It is time to transform education."
UNESCO further added that inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong opportunities for all is crucial for achieving gender equality and breaking the cycle of poverty. Learning for peace must be transformative, and help empower learners with the necessary knowledge, values, attitudes and skills and behaviors to become agents of peace in their communities.
As part of the occasion, the United Nations will organise two events titled 'International Day of Education 'Learning for Lasting Peace' and Raise your hand. The 'Learning for Lasting Peace' will be a non-governmental conference to be held in the United States.
The Raise your hand event will be hosted by GPE Youth Leader Heela Yoon, who is a peace and education activist based in the UK and founder of Afghan Youth Ambassadors for Peace. The event will be held LIVE and will aim to highlight the critical link between education and peace. It will emphasize on how education has a multiplier effect, with the potential to reduce global inequities, drive economic progress and build a more peaceful and stable world.
