We are pleased to announce that the 2024 UNESCO International Forum on the Futures of Education will be held from December 2 (Monday) to December 4 (Wednesday) at the Suwon Convention Center in Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.
Taking place three days after the release of the UNESCO report on the futures of education, this forum views education as a public endeavor, a societal commitment, an enabling human right, and an important shared responsibility among states, citizens, and societies. Participants will share research, policies, and practices from UNESCO member states to explore transformative solutions for the futures of education.
More than 1,000 participants are expected, including Sahle-Work Zewde, President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and Chair of the International Commission on the Futures of Education, as well as ministers from UNESCO member states, representatives from international organizations, experts from educational institutions and organizations, researchers, teachers, and youth.
As highlighted in the forum’s title, "Renewing the Social Contract for Education," participants will discuss the need to establish a new social contract for education, grounded in a shared vision for a more just, inclusive, and sustainable future.
The forum will feature a ministerial panel discussion, keynote speeches, and parallel sessions with expert presentations and Q&A sessions on eight themes. There will also be three special sessions focusing on contributions from the Ministry of Education, Gyeonggido Office of Education, and youth. Additionally, a visit program to local schools and educational institutions will showcase their inclusive, green and future-oriented practices. Exhibition booths will be set up to allow participants to engage with Gyeonggido Office of Education’s educational policies related to the futures of education report.
This forum is the first global event on the futures of education to extend beyond regional boundaries since the 2021 UNESCO report was published. Organized jointly by UNESCO, the Ministry of Education, the Gyeonggi Office of Education, and the Korean National Commission for UNESCO, this event is expected to contribute to the establishment of a continuous and regular international cooperation framework for the futures of education, paving the way for the educational transformations led by UNESCO.
We hope this forum serves as an opportunity to reflect on what we should continue doing, what we should abandon, and what needs to be creatively invented afresh in today’s education landscape. We encourage everyone interested in the realities and futures of education to participate actively and engage with us during this important event.
