International Day of Education is celebrated yearly on January 24th to highlight the depth of impact of education on human development and societal change. Proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2018, the day seeks to raise awareness concerning the critical function of education towards peace, sustainable development, and the empowerment of individuals to maneuver the complexities of the 21st century.
The Foundation: Education as a Human Right
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights unequivocally recognizes the right to education as a fundamental human right. This right encompasses access to quality education at all levels, from early childhood to higher education, free from discrimination. Education is not merely a privilege but a cornerstone of human dignity and a catalyst for social progress.
On December 3rd, 2018, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) adopted Resolution 73/25, proclaiming January 24th as the International Day of Education to honor the role of education in peace and development.
Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights enshrined the right to education. The Declaration calls for free and compulsory elementary education. The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), adopted in 1989, stipulates that countries shall make higher education accessible to all. When it adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in September 2015, the international community recognized that education is essential for the success of all 17 of its Goals. SDG 4, in particular, aims to ” ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” by 2030.
The International Day of Education, 2025
This year, UNESCO will host an event to mark International Education Day 2025 at UN Headquarters in New York, the US.
The theme for this event, dedicated by the Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, is”Opportunities and Challenges of Artificial Intelligence.” She urges all Member States of UNESCO to invest in upskilling every teacher in the proper usage of AI technology within the field of education, calling upon the student body to do likewise. AI has the potential to transform education positively, but clear ethical principles must guide it. To reach its full potential, this technology must complement rather than replace the human and social dimensions of learning. It must become a tool at the service of teachers and pupils, with the primary objective being their autonomy and well-being.
Also stated, “By dedicating the International Day of Education 2025 to artificial intelligence, UNESCO is aiming for a global discussion on the place of this technology within education. The organization has scheduled conferences in Paris and New York and a webinar.“
The 2025 International Day of Education—AI and Education: Preserving Human Agency in a World of Automation—will explore how education can help people understand and steer AI to ensure that they retain control over this new class of technology and are able to direct it toward desired objectives that respect human rights and advance progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals. This theme is particularly relevant in the current era of rapid technological advancement and increasing automation. As computer and AI-driven systems become more powerful, the boundaries between human intention and machine-driven action often blur. This raises critical questions about how to protect and, ideally, elevate human agency in an age of technological acceleration and expanding automation.
UNESCO’s Roadmap for the 2025 International Day of Education
UNESCO, as the leading global Organization for education, science, culture, and communication, is organizing a full-day, in-person event at its headquarters in Paris on January 24th, 2025, aiming to:
- Examine AI’s new possibilities, especially for teaching, learning, assessment, and educational administration.
- Promote the development of critical AI literacies by equipping educators and learners with the competencies to understand, use, and influence AI technologies, in line with the UNESCO AI competency frameworks for teachers and students. This will make the audience feel informed and prepared for the future.
- Ensure that AI complements, rather than replaces, the essential human elements of learning, including cultivating in-person relationships and emotional intelligence.
The plenary sessions will be live-streamed to ensure maximum reach and inclusivity, and interpretation will be provided in English and French.
Needless to say,the International Day for Education is a strong reminder of how instrumental education can be. Investing in education is investing in the future, one that is peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable. So let us work hand in hand to make education as meaningful as possible for every individual in the world, and in this enthusiasm, create expectations.
Reference:
https://sdghelpdesk.unescap.org/events/international-day-education-2021