UNECE Sub-Regional Workshop on ESD
Kazakhstan, Almaty, July 20, 2012 – The Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) successfully conducted the UNECE Sub-regional workshop on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in Almaty on 28-30 of June, 2012.
UNECE, the Government of Switzerland and the OSCE Centres in Astana and Bishkek supported organization of the workshop. The event was attended by about forty representatives of Central Asian (CA) countries: National Focal Points for ESD from ministries of education and environment, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), universities, schools and teacher training institutions.
The workshop was aimed to support the Central Asian countries in developing of national plans and strategies for ESD, strengthening of coordination among corresponding stakeholders on ESD and promotion of UNECE document on improving educators’ competences for ESD and their integration into the national education system.
The global population today is around seven billion people. If we would have an opportunity to leave the earth for another habitable planet, we probably won’t hesitate to do so. But as long as we stand and reap the gifts of our Mother Earth, we need to learn the principles of human behavior towards our planet. The concept of education for sustainable development was created in the moment of deep understanding of above issue. The modern concept of ESD is largely based on agreement on the development of environmental education, such as the Tbilisi Declaration (UNESCO-UNEP, 1977), Thessaloniki Declaration (UNESCO, 1997), the Belgrade Charter (UNESCO-UNEP, 1975 year). It was based on adopted by the Heads of State so-called “Agenda-21” and number of other important documents in 1992 of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.
According to the “Rio Declaration on Environment and Development”, human beings are at the centre of concerns for sustainable development, and that they are entitled to a healthy and productive life, in harmony with nature. But along with this right people have duties. Implementing of those simple principles will allow us to live on the green planet, breathe the fresh air, drink crystal clear water, and be in harmony with all that surrounds us.
The mandate to develop the Strategy derives from the statement made by the UNECE Environment Ministers at their fifth “Environment for Europe” Conference (Kiev, May 2003). The Strategy benefited from experience gained both within the region and globally. It is a contribution to and in line with the Framework for a draft implementation scheme for the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development developed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and should be used as a foundation for the regional implementation of the Decade and outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development. The Strategy was developed through a participatory process involving governments, educational institutions, NGOs and other stakeholders of the UNECE region as well as international organizations.
The workshop was moderated by UNECE experts on ESD Dr. Laima Galkute (Lithuania) and Dr. Zinaida Fadeeva (UNU/IAS).
One of the valuable sub-regional workshop’ results is understanding of the participants and decision of the organizers to continue the ESD process at the national level and conduct five national workshops on ESD in all CA countries in 2012-2013.
If you have any questions, please contact Tatiana Shakirova, 2785110, 2785022, int. 120 cell: + 9266 7777305, e-mail: and on the CAREC web-page https://carecnet.org/programs_and_projects/education_for_sustainabledevelopment/
Feedback from the workshop participants
