“Recovering and revitalizing education for the Covid-19 generation”, the theme of this year’s International Education Day , which will fall on January 24, therefore takes its cue from the deep furrow of the pandemic, which has caused the interruption or, in the best of cases, the adaptation of educational paths throughout the world, affecting, according to official data, 1.6 billion students in more than 190 countries. [1]
The creation of the International Day of Education , proclaimed by the UN starting from January 24, 2019, and this year more than ever goes in this direction: there can be no peace and development without learning opportunities for all. There are now numerous documents shared at a global level on the right to education: from Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights , to The Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Adolescent , adopted in 1989, up to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development , in which the international community has recognized education as having a fundamental and strategic role in achieving all of its 17 goals.
Where to start again?
In this unpredictable scenario, AMU’s commitment to education has not failed to continue to tie knots and weave relationships through, for example, the international network of the “Living Peace” project so that no child, young person or educator would feel alone or useless, but on the contrary to try together to stimulate in everyone the desire to open up to others, to know a “new” world , to transform problems into a real possibility of renewal and enrichment for everyone. Like some of the kids from Living Peace in Spain who tell us: Last December, in view of Christmas, we sent mandalas and letters of support and encouragement to more than 90 elderly people from four residences. Today, from one of the residences, we received some colored “pompoms” and a copy of collections of stories written by the elderly, along with a message of gratitude. Here are some excerpts: […] Your drawings and letters convey color and hope to us. A color that envelops us and makes us a fundamental link in completing an excellent job. A color that gives us the illusion of youth, giving meaning to our day. A color that transforms life into a work of art. […] A hope that brings us closer to the youngest, generating bonds of union. A hope that transforms memory into a future in which we all have a place. Your words push us to raise our voices to shout that we too are on a journey and we want to do it together with you young people. In this perspective of renewal, here is also the choice to focus on training for global citizenship through the pedagogy of Solidarity Service Learning with a challenging course on a digital platform, which is involving about 90 educators and teachers from various continents, in this difficult moment, perhaps helping to discover and refocus on the true meaning of education and learning, that is, learning to share that heritage of values that make a human being a person : the relationship , the social bond , participation , freedom , work , responsibility , cooperation , mutual respect , solidarity and fraternity . Let’s start from here!!
Discover the activities and proposals of the “Global Citizenship Education” sector of AMU
[1] ONUITALIA.IT
