The Recommendation on Education for Peace and Human Rights, International Understanding, Cooperation, Fundamental Freedoms, Global Citizenship and Sustainable Development

The only global standard-setting instrument that lays out how education should be used to bring about lasting peace and foster human development

Building more peaceful, just, and sustainable societies starts with education. It influences all aspects of our daily lives and our overall prospects while being impacted by our health and environment. In the global landscape of worsening climate change, democratic backsliding, persistent inequalities, rising discrimination, hate speech, violence and conflict, it can be a tool to address and prevent these problems in the future. And it can also be a long-term investment with increasing returns if shaped and deployed effectively.

The new UNESCO Recommendation on Education for Peace and Human Rights, International Understanding, Cooperation, Fundamental Freedoms, Global Citizenship and Sustainable Development, which is commonly referred to as the Recommendation on Education for Peace, Human Rights and Sustainable Development is a landmark guidance document that defines what needs to evolve in and through education to accomplish these goals.

What you need to know about UNESCO’s new Recommendation on Education for Peace, Human Rights and Sustainable Development

Text of the Recommendation

available in English, French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish

Revision of the 1974 recommendation

Learn more about the 1974 Recommendation - the document that preceded and informed the text as we know it now

How can the Recommendation be used to support change?

A call to action

It can inspire all those interested in, and engaged in the field of education

An advocacy tool

It can influence policy formulation and change

A benchmarking tool

It can be used to measure progress and the extent to which education systems are preparing learners to be agents of change

What is in the new Recommendation?

14 guiding principles

Major ideas and concepts that should be infused into the content and context of education to bring about lasting peace

12 learning outcomes

Knowledge, skills, values, attitudes and behaviors individuals should obtain throughout the education process to live together on this planet

Concrete action areas

Spheres where education stakeholders can put the guiding principles in practice to make a change, from laws and policies to curricula development, teaching practices, learning environments and assessment

Education plays a key role in shaping a peaceful future

Learning plays a transformative role in shaping a peaceful future for all. This is the core message of the new UNESCO Recommendation on Education for Peace, Human Rights and Sustainable Development.

Learning must be transformative, and help empower learners with the necessary knowledge, values, attitudes and skills and behaviours to become agents of peace in their communities. Education in all its forms and dimensions, in and out of schools, shapes how we see the world and treat others.

UNESCO developed a series of technical notes and thematic papers that informed the current Recommendation.

Explore the technical consultations on the revision process to learn more about the intersecting themes and concepts

Education plays a transformative role in shaping a peaceful future for all

This is the core message of the new UNESCO Recommendation on Education for Peace, Human Rights and Sustainable Development. Learning must be transformative, and help empower learners with the necessary knowledge, values, attitudes and skills and behaviours to become agents of peace in their communities. Education in all its forms and dimensions, in and out of schools, shapes how we see the world and treat others.