REPORT OF UNESCO EXPERT MEETING ON - APCEIU

Engaging diverse stakeholders at both individual and institutional levels, and building consensus and commitment
required for the structural transformation involved in reorienting education for ESD are just as crucial. This
process of consensus building requires an understanding of the diverse perspectives, while allowing common
ground and shared values to emerge, so that all participants are empowered to take ownership of the process and
responsibility for the outcomes.
Commitment to a shared ESD framework would enable the pooling of existing resources to maximise impacts and
accelerate progress. This would avoid a conflicting and dualistic view of the diverse applications of ESD between
the north and south, especially if it is openly acknowledged that the context determines the emphasis.
Finally, the direction ESD takes – either for reform or for transformation – will have implications for the practical
economic realities of addressing wholesale structural change. In each context, education systems may choose to
place themselves and their own ESD objectives along a continuum from reform to transformation, against which
they may assess themselves as permitted by available resources. This would provide a useful framework for
deciding where to allocate regional resources according to greatest need.
Session II: Social and cultural perspectives of ESD
Toh Swee Hin presented a model for addressing a culture of peace within ESD, emphasizing human rights and
justice, and the needs of the most vulnerable and marginalized groups, such as women, children and indigenous
peoples. His paper, “Holistic understanding of a culture of peace and interdependence between culture of peace
and ESD,” highlighted the need to achieve synergies among the many initiatives associated with the various
parallel United Nations decades. The following pedagogical principles are relevant to ESD:
• Holistic understanding of inter-relationships is important across all areas of the curriculum, linking the
formal with non-formal education
• Participation in experiential learning experiences and dialogical approaches is essential
• Focus should be on values formation
• Transformative education and critical empowerment, including inspiring stories of solidarity for the
marginalized, are necessary
Joy de Leo listed some of the issues to be addressed for cultural diversity and intercultural education, outlining the
principles underpinning a socially and culturally inclusive curriculum in “Social and cultural perspectives of ESD
– cultural diversity and intercultural understanding.” She also discussed the need for the development of the
whole person, including values formation and transdisciplinary system thinking for ESD. She outlined some of
the pedagogical principles conducive to ESD, giving particular emphasis to the learning environment and role
modelling across the school community.
In “Socially sustainable human development, addressing issues of social injustice, poverty and inequality,” Chan
Lean Heng defined socially sustainable human development in terms of quality of life, enabling the full and
equitable development of the human potential. She discussed the need for a transformative and empowering
pedagogy, and for mainstreaming key social justice issues, in particular the needs of the marginalized. Examples
may be found in the approaches taken to address gender inequalities and for the empowerment of women.
Approaches for strategic advocacy to gain support for ESD, and to create ethical partnerships and alliances were
also outlined.
Jeff Plantilla noted in his paper “Human rights in ESD” that human rights education (HRE) takes various forms
in schools, e.g. civic education and moral studies, legal education and religious education, values education and
peace education. However, the full meaning of HRE may still be missing and an understanding of human rights is
not always achieved. Curriculum development, teacher training and material development are often carried out by
NGOs. The main HRE issues include inadequate financial support; a need to harmonize, update and broaden the
different policies; more involvement of NGOs; a lack of linkages between the programmes; a need for more
materials; a need for sustainable implementation structure and for better coordination. The outcomes of a survey
conducted in four countries highlighted the need for clarification on what human rights means and the gap
between knowledge of human rights and human rights practice. An integrated approach to HRE is recommended.
Discussion on social and cultural perspectives of ESD
Given the lack of knowledge in EE and HRE, effective integration of such knowledge within the ESD framework
is essential. Nonetheless, there is a danger that the significance of EE and HRE may become lost if they are
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