REPORT OF UNESCO EXPERT MEETING ON - APCEIU

Chapter 36 of Agenda 21 (1992):
(1) Improving access to quality basic education;
(2) Reorienting existing education programmes;
(3) Developing public understanding and awareness;
(4) Providing training.
The IIS (2005) discussed the sustainability issues. These issues come from three spheres of sustainable
d evelopment – environment, society and economy. Environmental issues like water and waste affect every
nation, as do social issues like employment, human rights, gender equity, peace and human security. Every
country also has to address economic issues such as poverty reduction and corporate responsibility and
accountability. Major issues that have grabbed global attention such as HIV/AIDS, migration, climate
change and urbanization involve more than one sphere of sustainability. (IIS 2005:p.7) It must be noticed
that this categorization of perspectives is different from the Draft IIS (2004). The usage of term was also
changed from “perspectives” in 2004 to “sphere” in 2005.
Now, it must be needed to reframe the concept of three spheres of ESD according to this revised
categorization of strategic perspectives as mentioned in the Draft IIS (2004) in order to make clear the
concepts for each one of spheres. The IIS has made re-categorize the 15 perspectives of SD into 4 spheres
such as environmental issues, social issues, economic issue and overarching issues which might be
abstracted from the Working Paper: Asia-pacific Regional Strategy of ESD in Asia and Pacific (2005) in
which core issues of ESD were discussed.
The IIS mentioned in the section of Goals of UNDESD that the overall goal of the DESD is to integrate the
principals, values, practices of sustainable development into all aspects of education and learning. The basic
vision of the DESD is a world where everyone has the opportunity to benefit from education and learn the
values, behavior and lifestyles required for a sustainable future and for positive societal transformation.
(The IIS: p.6).
It is needless to say that the values must be the center of the goals of ESD. However, as a nature of
UNESCO, the IIS states in the section of Values as following. “The ways countries decide how to approach
sustainable development will be closely linked to the values held in these societies, for it is these values that
define how personal decisions are made and how national legislation is written.” (The IIS: p.7) Further it
mentioned that “Understanding your own values and, the values of the society you live in, and the values of
others around the world is a central part of education for a sustainable future. Each nation, cultural group,
and individual must learn the skills of recognizing their own values and assessing these values in the context
of sustainability.” (The IIS: p.7) It is very important to emphasize to recognize own values in promoting
ESD. However, it must be very crucial process to define the common values for human development such
as democracy, equity, freedom.
8. The National Implementation Scheme of ESD of Japan (NIS-ESD of Japan
2006) – A sample of the national implementation scheme -
The Inter-Ministerial Committee on ESD of Japanese Government has opened to the public the National
Implementation Scheme of ESD in March 2006. It is the very comprehensive document of 43 pages
including the specific policy programmes from Ministries of; Foreign Affairs: Education, Culture, Sports,
and Science & Technology: Environment: Agriculture, Forestry & Fishery: Economy & Industry: Land &
Transport.
It emphasized that the Japanese Government along with NGOs had proposed ESD to the United Nation’s
Decade at the WSSD to be included in Johannesburg in 2002. The UN 57 th General Assembly adopted the
resolution of the Decade in 2002 by the proposal from Japanese Government. (NIS of Japan: p.2)
It might be good to know how the Japanese Government refined the values for promoting ESD in Japan. It
might be said that the principles and values are taken from the Draft UNESCO IIS (2004), UNESCO IIS
(2005) and the Working Paper: Asia-Pacific Regional Strategy of ESD. One of the remarkable points is the
fact that NIS-ESD of Japan is written the different application of values to be taken to different perspectives
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