Regional Workshop on ESD Regional Workshop on ESD Strategies for the Asia and Strategies for the Asia and

PacificPacific

Priorities and Themes for Priorities and Themes for ESD in the Asia-PacificESD in the Asia-Pacific –The –The Importance of EIU for ESDImportance of EIU for ESD

Lawrence SurendraLawrence Surendra22 November 2004, Seoul22 November 2004, Seoul

MandateMandate of APCEIUof APCEIU ( Article 2 of AGREEMENT with UNESCO)( Article 2 of AGREEMENT with UNESCO)

■ ■ Strengthen national and regional capacities in education Strengthen national and regional capacities in education for international understanding.for international understanding.

■ ■ Encourage and facilitate collaborative links between Asia-Encourage and facilitate collaborative links between Asia-Pacific initiatives and other regional, international and global Pacific initiatives and other regional, international and global efforts in education.efforts in education.

■ ■ Implement research and development of the philosophy, Implement research and development of the philosophy, teaching methods and curriculum of education for international teaching methods and curriculum of education for international

understanding.understanding.

■ ■ Organize training workshops and seminars.Organize training workshops and seminars.

■ ■ Produce and disseminate teaching materials and other Produce and disseminate teaching materials and other publications.publications.

APCEIU MissionAPCEIU Mission

PROMOTE, regionally and internationally, EIU which PROMOTE, regionally and internationally, EIU which strengthens participatory democracy, protection of human strengthens participatory democracy, protection of human rights, social and economic justice, inter-cultural respect, rights, social and economic justice, inter-cultural respect, ecological sustainability, and nonviolent and just ecological sustainability, and nonviolent and just reconciliation of conflicts. reconciliation of conflicts.

COLLABORATE with educators and institutions to COLLABORATE with educators and institutions to expand, strengthen, and institutionalize EIU in schools and expand, strengthen, and institutionalize EIU in schools and society.society.

SERVE as a centre of excellence for EIU in the Asia-SERVE as a centre of excellence for EIU in the Asia-Pacific Region. Pacific Region.

SHARE ideas and lessons for enhancing and SHARE ideas and lessons for enhancing and implementing EIU with educators, policy-makers, implementing EIU with educators, policy-makers, institutions, and communities in other regions and institutions, and communities in other regions and countries, through networking and partnerships. countries, through networking and partnerships.

Main Areas of WorkMain Areas of Work

APCEIU pAPCEIU programs and activities are organized arounrograms and activities are organized around d the following 6 areas:the following 6 areas:              

■ ■ Asia-Pacific Asia-Pacific Teacher Teacher Training Workshops oTraining Workshops on EIU n EIU ■ ■ EIU Training for Civil Society LeadersEIU Training for Civil Society Leaders ■ ■ Research and Development of EIU Research and Development of EIU Curriculum & Curriculum & Teaching/Learning Materials including in the future developTeaching/Learning Materials including in the future develop

ment of online courses using IT ment of online courses using IT ■ ■ Publication and Information Service on EIU Publication and Information Service on EIU ■ ■ Cooperation and Networking Cooperation and Networking

APCEIU EIU and ESDAPCEIU EIU and ESD

•APCEIU work in the field of EIUAPCEIU work in the field of EIU  is closis closely inter-related to the objectives of Eely inter-related to the objectives of ESD.SD.  

•The Objectives of ESD according to UThe Objectives of ESD according to UNESCO is, “the promotion of values aNESCO is, “the promotion of values and ethics through education at differend ethics through education at different levels to make an impact on peoplnt levels to make an impact on people’s lifestyles and e’s lifestyles and behaviourbehaviour and help  and help build a sustainable future”build a sustainable future”

Education for Sustainable Education for Sustainable DevelopmentDevelopment

•UNESCO’s ESD work has been based UNESCO’s ESD work has been based on the three thronged concept of:on the three thronged concept of:

Transdisciplinarity Transdisciplinarity

InnovationInnovation

PartneringPartnering

Five Key Lessons learnt in the Five Key Lessons learnt in the Decade between Rio Earth Summit Decade between Rio Earth Summit (1992) and Johannesburg WSSD (1992) and Johannesburg WSSD (2002)(2002)

1.1. ESD is an emerging concept seeking to empower ESD is an emerging concept seeking to empower people of all ages to assume responsibility for people of all ages to assume responsibility for creating a sustainable futurecreating a sustainable future

22. . Basic Education is a foundation and contributes to Basic Education is a foundation and contributes to ESDESD

3.3. Need to refocus many existing education policies, Need to refocus many existing education policies, programmes and practicesprogrammes and practices

Five Key Lessons learnt in the Five Key Lessons learnt in the Decade between Rio Earth Summit Decade between Rio Earth Summit (1992) and Johannesburg WSSD (1992) and Johannesburg WSSD (2002)(2002)(continued)(continued)

4.4. Education is the key to rural transformation Education is the key to rural transformation and is essential to ensuring the economic, and is essential to ensuring the economic, cultural and ecological vitality of rural areas and cultural and ecological vitality of rural areas and communitiescommunities

5. 5. LifeLife long learning, including adult and long learning, including adult and community education are all vital community education are all vital ingredients of capacity building for a ingredients of capacity building for a sustainable futuresustainable future

APCEIU as the only Regional Centre on EIU APCEIU as the only Regional Centre on EIU Focuses on 4 of the key lessons learnt Focuses on 4 of the key lessons learnt between Rio and Johannesburgbetween Rio and Johannesburg..

These are:These are: ESD an emerging concept that seeks to ESD an emerging concept that seeks to

empower people of all ages to assume empower people of all ages to assume responsibility for creating a sustainable futureresponsibility for creating a sustainable future

Basic Education as a foundation that contributes to Basic Education as a foundation that contributes to

ESDESD

Refocusing on existing education policies, Refocusing on existing education policies, programmes and practicesprogrammes and practices

Stress on education as the key to rural transformation Stress on education as the key to rural transformation

and as essential to ensuring the economic, cultural and as essential to ensuring the economic, cultural and ecological vitality of rural areas and communitiesand ecological vitality of rural areas and communities

SSustainable Development is Grounded ustainable Development is Grounded on four interdependent systems and on four interdependent systems and supports four inter-related principles supports four inter-related principles for sustainable livingfor sustainable living

Four Systems:Four Systems: ★ ★ Biophysical Biophysical

★ ★ EconomicEconomic ★ ★ Social and Social and ★ ★ PoliticalPolitical

Four Inter-Related Principles:Four Inter-Related Principles:★ ★ Peace and EquityPeace and Equity★ ★ DemocracyDemocracy★ ★ Appropriate DevelopmentAppropriate Development★ ★ ConservationConservation

Promoting ESD in the Region Promoting ESD in the Region and Challenges for EIUand Challenges for EIUThe Contexts we face:The Contexts we face:

• Macro-Institutional Challenges and Global and Planetary IMacro-Institutional Challenges and Global and Planetary Inter-linkages – Issues such as Global Warming and impanter-linkages – Issues such as Global Warming and impacts on local cts on local unsustainabilityunsustainability and livelihoods and livelihoods

• Socio-economic Issues – Livelihood, Participation and ParSocio-economic Issues – Livelihood, Participation and Partnershiptnership

• Lifestyle Issues – Urbanization, Lifestyles and ConsumptiLifestyle Issues – Urbanization, Lifestyles and Consumptionon

Macro-Institutional Challenges and Global anMacro-Institutional Challenges and Global and Planetary Inter-linkages – Issues such as d Planetary Inter-linkages – Issues such as Global Warming and impacts onGlobal Warming and impacts on local  local unsustainabilityunsustainability and livelihoods and livelihoods

      Impacts caused by global warming are on a global and plaImpacts caused by global warming are on a global and planetary scale and affects planet earth as an ecosystem. Minetary scale and affects planet earth as an ecosystem. Mitigation has to be done by humankind as a whole. This retigation has to be done by humankind as a whole. This requires giving new meaning to the EIU concept of ‘Learning quires giving new meaning to the EIU concept of ‘Learning to live together’ not only between human beings but betwto live together’ not only between human beings but between humans and sentient beings (nature)een humans and sentient beings (nature)

      Impacts on livelihoods and the resulting poverty, hunger aImpacts on livelihoods and the resulting poverty, hunger and destitution needs to be addressed through a new ethic nd destitution needs to be addressed through a new ethic of living sustainably.of living sustainably.

      A new ethic built around social justice, democracy, peace A new ethic built around social justice, democracy, peace and ecological integrityand ecological integrity

Socio-economic Issues Socio-economic Issues Livelihood, Participation and Livelihood, Participation and PartnershipPartnershipThe Asia Pacific Region has seen rapid The Asia Pacific Region has seen rapid

economic growth and prosperity especially in economic growth and prosperity especially in regions such as North Asia. Yet the region as regions such as North Asia. Yet the region as a whole is beset with problems of rapid a whole is beset with problems of rapid environmental and ecological degradation, environmental and ecological degradation, growing income disparity, mounting youth growing income disparity, mounting youth unemployment and dissatisfaction resulting unemployment and dissatisfaction resulting in threats to both social peace and in threats to both social peace and sustainabilitysustainability

Socio-economic issues of livelihood, issues of Socio-economic issues of livelihood, issues of participation and partnership in economic participation and partnership in economic growth and democratisation have to be at growth and democratisation have to be at the heart of the efforts to promote ESD and the heart of the efforts to promote ESD and build sustainable futures.build sustainable futures.

Lifestyle Issues – Urbanization, Lifestyle Issues – Urbanization, Lifestyles and ConsumptionLifestyles and Consumption• Closely related to the issues of global Closely related to the issues of global

warming, livelihood destruction, persistent warming, livelihood destruction, persistent poverty, malnutrition caused by hunger are poverty, malnutrition caused by hunger are issues related to the affluence and wealth issues related to the affluence and wealth of a minority. These are lifestyle issues and of a minority. These are lifestyle issues and the values associated with consumer the values associated with consumer lifestyles. lifestyles.

• We live in a world where ill health and We live in a world where ill health and malnutrition caused by lack of access to malnutrition caused by lack of access to livelihood and food coexists with the livelihood and food coexists with the malnutrition of excess and modern malnutrition of excess and modern epidemics of obesity caused by over epidemics of obesity caused by over consumption of the affluent, the latter consumption of the affluent, the latter affecting close to 400 million.affecting close to 400 million.

The Asia Pacific Region- The The Asia Pacific Region- The Challenges we face and contributions Challenges we face and contributions we can makewe can make The Asia Pacific region faces a dual The Asia Pacific region faces a dual

challenge challenge Either to follow blindly the paradigm of Either to follow blindly the paradigm of

unrestrained (socially and ecologically) unrestrained (socially and ecologically) economic growth contributing to the rapid economic growth contributing to the rapid destruction of the earth’s planetary destruction of the earth’s planetary ecosystem ecosystem

OROR Learn from our civilisational roots and the Learn from our civilisational roots and the

philosophy of restraint rooted in all our philosophy of restraint rooted in all our cultural and religious traditions cultural and religious traditions

Learning from the Diversity of Learning from the Diversity of the Asia Pacific Regionthe Asia Pacific Region• The rich cultural diversity of Asia is based and The rich cultural diversity of Asia is based and

closely related to the diverse ecological settings closely related to the diverse ecological settings within Asia.within Asia.

• In the Asia Pacific Region all forms of ecosystems In the Asia Pacific Region all forms of ecosystems from tropical and rain forests and semi-tropics, to from tropical and rain forests and semi-tropics, to deserts to temperate climate regions exist.deserts to temperate climate regions exist.

• It is by a recognition of this diversity of ecological It is by a recognition of this diversity of ecological settings that the basis of education and dialogue settings that the basis of education and dialogue that contributes to sustainable futures at the that contributes to sustainable futures at the global level can be done. global level can be done.

• This is particularly true when we see the very This is particularly true when we see the very survival of planet earth threatened in the face of survival of planet earth threatened in the face of irreversible climate change.irreversible climate change.

Mutual LearningMutual Learning• A major contribution the Asia Pacific Region can A major contribution the Asia Pacific Region can

make to both the global community and within make to both the global community and within the different societies in the Asia Pacific region is the different societies in the Asia Pacific region is to learn from the sustainable life styles and to learn from the sustainable life styles and practices of the indigenous communities of the practices of the indigenous communities of the Asia and Pacific region. Asia and Pacific region.

• As much as the Asia Pacific Region can contribute As much as the Asia Pacific Region can contribute from its civilisation roots to a global ethic of from its civilisation roots to a global ethic of sustainability, the region itself can learn from its sustainability, the region itself can learn from its indigenous communities and they have a major indigenous communities and they have a major contribution to make to Education for Sustainable contribution to make to Education for Sustainable Development.Development.

Greed and NeedGreed and Need• FinallyFinally

Whether we make it to the path of social Whether we make it to the path of social and ecological sustainability,and ecological sustainability,

Whether we can contribute to assuring Whether we can contribute to assuring future generations that humans and planet future generations that humans and planet earth can look to sustainable futures earth can look to sustainable futures depends on Gandhi’s maxim:depends on Gandhi’s maxim:

“ “ there is enough for everyone’s there is enough for everyone’s need need

but not enough for everyone’s but not enough for everyone’s greed”greed”