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UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia (UNESCO Beijing) Snapshots in Oct-Dec 2024
Dear readers,
As the year draws to a close, we’re thrilled to share with you the latest updates from our office through our Q4 2024 newsletter. This edition highlights our key initiatives and milestones from October to December, featuring progress on ongoing projects, major activities, strategic partnerships, and our celebration of important International Day of Persons with Disabilities. We’ve also included some exciting upcoming events that you won’t want to miss! Whether you’re interested in heritage conservation, global citizenship education, or biodiversity protection, there’s something for everyone in this issue. We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed putting it together for you!
Happy reading!
In the Spotlights
On 2 December, during the opening ceremony of the Sixth International Conference on Learning Cities in Jubail, Saudi Arabia, ten cities were awarded the UNESCO Learning City Award 2024 for their outstanding achievements in promoting lifelong learning.
Among the awardees, 2 East Asian cities were Eunpyeong-gu, Republic of Korea, and Wuhan, China.
Education
UNESCO and Peking University Host Capacity Building Workshop on Health Education for Teachers
On 16 December 2024, UNESCO Beijing joined forces with the UNESCO Chair on Global Health and Education at Peking University to host the Capacity-Building Workshop on Health Education for Teachers at Peking University. The event, hosted by the Institute of Child and Adolescent Health and supported by the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO and the Ministry of Education’s Department of Physical Education, Health, and Arts, brought together 109 education officials, experts, and teachers. It was also live-streamed, attracting over 43,000 viewers online.
The workshop’s success created a vital platform for collaboration and knowledge-sharing among experts, scholars, and educators in school health education. It marked a pivotal step toward integrating health education into school curricula and activities, significantly enhancing the capacity of school health education nationwide, boosting the health literacy of children and adolescents and advancing the global health and education agenda.
Strengthening Regional Collaboration on Global Citizenship Education and Education for Peace and Sustainable Development
On October 26-27, 2024, the Sub-Regional Workshop and Seminar on “Global Citizenship Education (GCED)” and the “Recommendation on Education for Peace, Human Rights, and Sustainable Development” were held in Fukuoka, Japan. Co-organized by APCEIU, Kyushu University, CESA, and UNESCO Beijing, the event aimed to support the regional implementation of GCED and integrate peace, human rights, and sustainable development into education systems in East Asia.
Over 40 key stakeholders from Ministries of Education, NGOs, academia, and international experts participated, emphasizing the need for education policies that promote peace, social cohesion, and sustainable development. An additional 30 participants joined online.
Culture
Strengthening Regional Capacity on Teaching and Learning with East Asian Shared Heritage
The “Capacity Building Workshop on Teaching and Learning with East Asia Shared Heritage” was jointly held by CRIHAP and UNESCO Beijing from 19 to 21 November 2024 in Jintan District, Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province. Nearly 20 university professors and educators, and intangible cultural heritage (ICH) practitioners from China, Japan, Mongolia and Republic of Korea, and representatives from UNESCO Category 2 Centers (CRIHAP and ICHCAP), participated in this workshop. It aimed to build capacity for teachers and educators on the methodologies of teaching and learning with heritage, and to establish a platform for dialogues and collaboration among universities in East Asia for the pilot phase.
Announcement of Selected Cases for the Short Video Solicitation Activity of "Bringing Cultural Heritage to Life"
On November 16th, the World Heritage Institute of Training and Research for the Asia and the Pacific Region under the Auspices of UNESCO (Suzhou) organized experts to convene the . This activity collected a total of 147 entries from various regions across the country, including Hong Kong and Macao. The final evaluation panel ultimately selected 30 most qualified entries, including 15 "Excellent Cases" and 15 "Finalist Cases".
East Asian World Heritage Professionals Seek Integrated Approaches to Heritage Conservation
On 21-23 October in Beijing, UNESCO Beijing, WHIPIC, WHITRAP-Beijing, and Peking University School of Archaeology and Museology co-hosted the Capacity-building Workshop for East Asia on Integrated Approach to Heritage Management: Tangible and Intangible Synergies. The event aimed to promote inclusive and holistic heritage management through diverse perspectives and methods.
Twenty-two site managers from 12 World Heritage sites in China, Japan, Mongolia, and the Republic of Korea participated. Through lectures, group discussions, and presentations, they shared innovative practices and discussed comprehensive conservation approaches in the region.
East Asian World Heritage Focal Professionals Identified Common Priority Actions for Conservation and Management
October 16-17, 2024, Beijing, China – “East Asian Consultation Meeting on the Implementation of the Regional Framework Action Plan for Asia and the Pacific”, organized by UNESCO Beijing with the support from the National Cultural Heritage Administration of China, Beijing Municipal Cultural Heritage Bureau, and Beijing Central Axis Protection Fund, was successfully concluded, demonstrating a series of fruitful discussions among the Advisory Bodies to the World Heritage Committee, administrative agencies of East Asian State Parties, Category 2 Centres in cultural and natural heritage, UNESCO Chairs and site managers.
Natural Sciences
Side Event on Promoting Youth Leadership at COP 29 in Baku, Azerbaijan: Empowering Youth and Enhancing Partnership for Our Shared Net-Zero Future
On November 18, 2024, UNESCO Beijing, the Global Alliance of Universities on Climate (GAUC) and Tsinghua University co-hosted a side event at the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 29) GAUC Pavilion at Baku, Azerbaijan, themed "Empowering Youth and Enhancing Partnership for Our Shared Net-Zero Future". The core focus of this side event was to enhance youth leadership, showcase the perspectives of young people, and gather the strength of the youth to encourage their active involvement in climate action. The event successfully attracted the participation of 30 young delegates and distinguished guests, who gathered together to discuss and exchange innovative ideas and solutions on climate change.
The 2024 Science Popularization Knowledge Competition Held in Baisha Li Ethnic Group Autonomous County, Hainan Province
On 16-17 November 2024, a science popularization knowledge competition themed “Conserving Biodiversity & Safeguarding National Parks” was held in Baisha Li Ethnic Group Autonomous County, Hainan Province. Organized by UNESCO Beijing, Hainan Institute of National Parks (HINP), Hainan Provincial Department of Education and other key partners, the event aimed to enhance youth awareness of ecosystem protection and scientific literacy, encouraging their participation in biodiversity conservation and the development of Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park.
The competition focused on national parks, tropical rainforest biodiversity, and carbon neutrality. It was part of the “Rainforest and You” initiative and supported by the China Youth Development Foundation-Mercedes-Benz Star Fund. A total of 57 students and 29 tutors from 19 university teams participated in the semi-finals.
Communication and Information
UNESCO Promotes the Implementation of Media and Information Literacy Initiative in China
With the support of UNESCO Beijing, the Media Literacy Blue Book (2023-2024) launch and the Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Development Strategy Expert Roundtable was successfully held at the Communication University of Zhejiang on 14 December 2024. This event was co-hosted by the Communication University of Zhejiang, Media Literacy Academic Research Base of China Federation of Radio and Television Associations, and Zhejiang Province Media Literacy Education Research Association. This conference brought together 150 experts and scholars from a variety of fields, including radio and television social organizations, international organizations, local governments, educational research institutions, schools at various levels, media outlets, and the private sector.
International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2024: "Amplifying Voices: Celebrating Leadership of Persons with Disabilities in Accessibility in China"
Observed annually on 3 December, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) spotlights the triumphs and trials of individuals with disabilities. This year's theme, “Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future,” emphasizes the crucial role of empowering them to steer their own paths and enrich society.
In a remarkable initiative to mark this day, UNESCO Beijing teamed up with the UN Theme Group on Disability in China to launch a video campaign. Aiming to champion disability leadership in accessibility in China, we're curating short videos from individuals with disabilities. These videos will spotlight their deep-seated understanding and valuable insights into accessibility and inclusion.
UNESCO supports regional seminar aimed to enhance information accessibility for persons with disabilities
As the world commemorated the 2024 International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) with the theme "Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future,” UNESCO Beijing took a significant step towards championing disability inclusion by supporting the World Blind Union Asia-Pacific (WBUAP) and the China Association of Persons with Visual Disabilities in organizing the Regional Seminar on Information Accessibility and Assistive Technology in Beijing. The event, held on 3-4 December at the China Braille Library, was attended by over 150 representatives from the World Blind Union, international organizations, Organizations of Persons with Disabilities across the Asia-Pacific Region.
Intersectoral Collaboration
“Ready for Winter and Spring? – Educate, Empower, Ensure: Understanding and preventing dzud disaster” Meeting
The Mongolian National Commission for UNESCO in collaboration with the Sustainable Development Journalists Club, with the support of UNESCO Beijing, held an information session with journalists titled "Ready for Winter and Spring? – Educate, Empower, Ensure: Understanding and preventing dzud disaster" The meeting mostly focused on preparations for the upcoming winter.
The National Agency Meteorology and Environmental Monitoring predicts that this winter will be colder than the historical average. By 2050, natural disasters are expected to occur more frequently, increasing the risk to livelihoods.
Social and Human Sciences
Youth Gather to Address Gender-Based Violence During the 16 Days of Activism in Mongolia
As part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, a training session was held on 4 December 2024 at the National University of Mongolia (NUM). The event was a collaborative effort by UNESCO Beijing, the NUM’s Gender Studies Center and the Office for Student Development, and the Mongolian National Commission for UNESCO.
The training session highlighted this year’s theme for Mongolia, "Women and Girls Are Safe Everywhere—#NoExcuse," and brought together over 100 youth to address a critical and evolving aspect of gender-based violence (GBV): technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV).