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Strengthening synergies between culture and education in Asia and the Pacific
UNESCO Regional consultations on culture and arts education continue with an expert discussion in Asia and the Pacific. On 13-14 February 2023, about 100 experts and representatives from 26 countries met online to identify ways to build further connections between culture and education and inform the development of the UNESCO Framework on Culture and Arts Education. Under the leadership of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia through its Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology, the consultation was organized in collaboration with the UNESCO Office in Jakarta.
This Framework will provide us with a clear set of guidelines to ensure that arts education and cultural mainstreaming are prioritized in our schools, as well as to encourage the integration of cultural perspectives into all aspects of education and society,
Reviewing the state of the art on the integration of culture and arts education within strategies and policies at the national and regional levels, as well as region-specific challenges, opportunities and joint priorities, Member States from Asia and the Pacific highlighted the criticality of harnessing culture and education together to better equip future generations as well as educators with the necessary competencies and skills to confront multidimensional challenges of enhanced mobility, the future of work, disaster-risk preparedness and resilience, jobs and the digital environment.
Key recommendations and highlights of the meeting
- Prioritizing the incorporation of digital technologies in culture and arts education while considering the need to mobilize public and private funding. Many countries and institutions across the region need more resources to fully integrate the digital axis for culture and arts education into their development plans and strategies. While many countries adopt crosscutting avenues in this field, there is still a need for public policy to build and invest upon the opportunities of such synergies, particularly by connecting the knowledge economy to the creative economy while investing in the value of culture-related contextual education that builds upon the cultural capital, arts and creativity;
- Sustain more systemic interdisciplinary approaches to education and learning from early childhood to lifelong learning that enhance the development of multiple and transversal skills and competencies – linking science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics to forge adaptation, resilience and innovation;
- Supporting greater investment in building pedagogical capacities of teachers and educators, particularly at primary and secondary education;
- Investing upon youth, especially by engaging them as actors of the nexus between culture and education to build global citizenship, self-confidence for peace and sustainable development;
- Establishing monitoring and evaluation systems for culture and arts education to measure impact, as well as strengthening multistakeholder partnerships;
- Recognizing the role of museums as knowledge hubs for informal and lifelong learning through culture and the arts;
- Encouraging research and exploration on culture and arts education at the national and regional levels to upscale arts and culture teachers’ capacities, as well as to sustain innovative approaches in the area of health, planning, food security and holistic sustainable development;
- Explore regional alliances, partnerships and mechanisms under UNESCO’s aegis to support advocacy and funding for culture and arts education, including for the development of novel learning methodologies and pedagogies, and develop context-relevant solutions adapt culture and arts education to the digital transformation.
