Key Highlights

The summit’s agenda was packed with high-impact sessions and discussions. Key highlights included:

• A high-level dialogue on financing education with insights from ministers and global leaders
• Parallel sessions exploring digital learning strategies and initiatives to promote gender equality in education
• Focused discussions on supporting and empowering the teaching profession
• Sessions on “greening” education and addressing learning needs in crisis situations
• A critical examination of strategies to improve foundational learning skills globally

UNESCO Report Launch

The event also served as the launchpad for a key UNESCO report, “The Right to a Strong Foundation: Global Report on Early Childhood Care and Education.” This comprehensive report provided crucial insights into the state of early childhood education worldwide and offered recommendations for improvement.

 

Event Highlights

Opening and Framing

The summit kicked off with powerful opening remarks from UNESCO’s Director-General, the UN Deputy Secretary-General, and the President of Chile. Their words set the tone for a day focused on transforming education for a sustainable future.

Financing Education

A session on education financing featured insights from ministers and global leaders, with European Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen’s keynote address highlighting the importance of investing in education as a cornerstone for sustainable development.

Digital Learning and Gender Equality

Parallel sessions explored the potential of digital learning and the pressing need for gender equality in education, bringing together perspectives from government ministers, international organizations, and civil society.

The Teaching Profession

A dedicated session examined challenges and opportunities for the teaching profession, with representatives from UNESCO, ILO, and various countries sharing strategies to support and empower teachers.

Greening Education and Crisis Response

In the afternoon, discussions focused on integrating sustainability into education and addressing learning needs in crisis situations, underscoring the importance of adaptable and resilient education systems.

Foundational Learning

A critical session on foundational learning brought together experts from UNESCO, UNICEF, and global education initiatives to discuss strategies for ensuring basic literacy and numeracy skills for all learners.

Looking Ahead

The summit concluded with forward-looking recommendations for the upcoming Global Education Meeting. UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education, Stefania Giannini, and Chile’s Minister of Education, Nicolás Cataldo, emphasized the need for continued collaboration and action to achieve global education goals.

This landmark event highlighted the challenges facing global education and showcased a collective commitment to finding innovative solutions. The insights and partnerships forged at this summit will undoubtedly play a crucial role in shaping the future of education worldwide.

Dr. Okada also introduced her new book, Knowledge Cartography for Young Thinkers: Sustainability Issues, Mapping Techniques, and AI Tools (Okada, A., 2024). This work contributes practical insights to the ongoing dialogue on innovative educational approaches, particularly in sustainability education through open schooling and knowledge mapping. It emphasizes real-life problem-solving that actively engages students, communities, and experts.

Stay tuned for more updates on how these global initiatives will translate into action at local and national levels.