UNESCO Clearinghouse on GCED

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Promoting the culture of dialogue between cultures in the Arab world Year of publication: 2013 Author: Selim El Sayegh Corporate author: UNESCO Beirut The major challenge of the Arab uprisings resides in the youth drive. Accounting for 60 per cent of the Arab population, Youth have been calling for political and economic reforms. During the revolts, these claims have become more radical seeking a fundamental change. This gradual evolution, from a relatively partial change to a more absolute comprehensive one, ushers in a new era with a different intellectual construct. With the ousting of dictatorships, all civil society forces are unleashed with huge actual and potential resources mobilized to contribute to building up the new order. Groups of solidarity, communities, parties, associations, and organizations of all nature among many others put forward new ideas and adequate action plans. Liberty thus acclaimed becomes the outcry for dignity, honor and pride. Never before in the Arab world has the individual had such a central place as it does today. An individual fully grasping the possibilities of restored liberty and recognized dignity gives birth to a new citizen acting in a new paradigm; a new citizen that seeks a transcendence of the ego to relate the individual to the common good. This fresh paradigm empowers the individual as a citizen in the name of equality, while simultaneously recognizing the right of difference of each citizen when it comes to belonging to a culture or sub‐culture. The right to be different involves more than the right to differ and to dispute and by the same token, the obligation of peaceful settlement. The right to be different, by belonging to a culture or a sub‐culture means in a new era of liberty and dignity, the obligation to conduct a transformation of the patterns generating disputes and conflicts among cultures. Henceforth, the issue of promoting the culture of intercultural dialogue in the aftermath of the Arab revolts represents major characteristics that will be reflected hereafter.

Promoting Global Citizenship Education in Arab Universities: Proposals for Action Year of publication: 2022 Author: Ellen Middaugh Corporate author: UNESCO Beirut Higher education can play an important role in promoting Global Citizenship Education (GCED). It provides incentive, opportunity and support for young adults to learn about global issues, engage across diverse cultures, and practice the skills of GCED at a time of intensive personal, social, political and career exploration. Furthermore, universities can encourage students to take these skills and values into their adult lives to share with others and continue the lifelong process. Arab universities are very committed to GCED. However, the way GCED in concretely implemented needs improvement. While greater attention is paid to the cognitive domain of learning, the socio-emotional and behavioral domains of learning – which best lead to effective transformative engagement – tend to be left behind. Based on existing practices, this document provides universities, academia and students with concrete proposals on how to better mainstream GCED and its values, through higher education, in the Arab region.

Promoting Global Citizenship Education in Arab Universities: A Regional Outlook Year of publication: 2022 Corporate author: UNESCO Beirut To better understand the situation of GCED in Arab universities, UNESCO commissioned a study to analyse: 1. If GCED is enshrined in their policies, visions, missions, values, objectives, and strategic goals and plans; 2. If students perceive that their universities are developing the learning outcomes of GCED.The study, carried out by UNESCO in 2021, analysed the strategic documents and plans of 34 universities from 17 countries in the Arab region. A survey was also administered to 336 students, primarily in Oman but also including students at several other universities in the Arab region.

Promoting the Inclusion of Children and Young People with Disabilities in Education in the Arab Region: An Analysis of Existing Developments, Challenges and Opportunities Year of publication: 2022 Author: Maha Khochen-Bagshaw Corporate author: UNESCO Beirut This report was prepared by the UNESCO Regional Office for Education in the Arab Countries within the framework of the Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Program to Promote the Arabic Language. The report provides an analysis of inclusive education in Arab countries with the aim of formulating future recommendations, although the report focuses specifically on persons with disability. It acknowledges that other categories of learners suffer from marginalization and are unable to benefit from educational opportunities. It addresses the obstacles and challenges that prevent inclusion, and addresses the progress made and the progress needed to make comprehensive quality education a reality in the Arab region. The report stresses the need for organized and systematic cooperation between teachers, schools and the educational community. It calls on governments to implement immediate measures to assign responsibilities related to learners with disabilities to the Ministry of Education, and urges them to allocate adequate funding to develop effective and implementable plans and mobilize national commitment to inclusive education for all.

The role of education and training in sustainable development: social, economic and environmental dimensions Year of publication: 2006 Author: Mohammad Jabir Ali | Abdallah AmboSaeedi | Jilani Lamloumi | Sulieman Sulieman Corporate author: UNESCO Beirut Education, Training and Sustainable Development are three fields for life were selected to be the topic in the Regional Workshop on the Role of Education and Training in Sustainable Development (Manama - Kingdom of Bahrain, 19-21 September 2005), as part of TVET-UNEVOC programme for 2004-2005, and follow-up on Bonn Declaration issued at the end of the International Expert Meeting on “Learning for Work, Citizenship and Sustainability”, Bonn, 25-28 October 2004. Thirty five (35) officials, experts and specialists from thirteen (13) Arab countries, UNESCO Offices in Beirut and Doha, and the International Centre for TVET - Bonn Centre took part in Bahrain Workshop. The Organizing Committee for the Workshop had highlighted the social, economic and enviromental dimensions of sustainable development, according to the plan of action of the UN Decade on Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014). The main working papers discussed in the Workshop were developed into a reference study in TVET-UNEVOC Searies to reflect on future orientations in the fields related to Sustainable Development in the Arab countries.

Embracing Diversity: Toolkit for Creating Inclusive, Learning-Friendly Environments Year of publication: 2014 Corporate author: UNESCO Beirut The UNESCO Regional Office - Beirut has translated and localized the collection of manuals produced by the UNESCO Regional Office for Education in Asia and the Pacific - Bangkok. The guides, “Accepting Diversity: A Guidebook for Creating Learning-Friendly University Environments,” provides practical tools and guidance for making schools and classrooms inclusive, learning-friendly, and social, gender- and physical-sensitive among children.This guide is one of the nine guides that have been produced, which, in total, aim to assist teachers, school principals and educational officials to create an inclusive and learning-friendly learning environment, by providing a variety of methods, examples, tools, tips and instructions that help the teacher to perform his duties, manage the classroom and prepare A suitable learning environment for all.

Cultural aspects in Christian and Islamic religions Year of publication: 2011 Corporate author: UNESCO Beirut | Université Saint Joseph de Beyrouth This book allows the readers the opportunity to know about the cultural aspects related to religions, mainly in Lebanon and the Near East, their meaning and their aim. This knowledge will help the reader, firstly, to grasp the meaning of these various aspects, whether they concern him directly or the people who live in the same country, with whom he shares common space and living. Secondly, the book contributes to the Lebanese understanding one another’s behaviors and their own behavior concerning these aspects. Therefore, the book also contributes to the Lebanese looking at one another with more trust before starting to criticize. This book includes chapters that cover most of the different cultural aspects in Christian and Islamic religions. The first chapter deals with time, passing through each month of the year and its days, in a chronological manner. The second chapter delves into religious occasions in the Christian then Islamic religions. It explains the meaning of Holidays and remembrances of God and their particular aspects as well as the religious reasons of each. This chapter includes a part about al-‘awliya’ and Saints who are mentioned in some of the Lebanese daily rituals. Chapter three delves into the individual’s life stages from birth to religious vows, to marriage and death. The aspects that go with these stages constitute an important part in the life of the Lebanese. This chapter details the aspects and traditions of all these stages in which people take part, thus creating a common ground in a multi-religious society. Chapter four deals with religious practices, acts of worship, and legal prescriptions. It describes them and deals with their spiritual meaning to individuals who express their faith when practicing them. Prayer, Mass, and Pilgrimage, among others, are religious practices that are detailed in a way to make the reader understand what they mean to those who perform them. Chapter five leads us into religious places and their meaning, from churches to mosques and monasteries, khalwat and husayniyyat, all of which have different and divergent meanings to visitors. Yet, they all show the importance given by man to the place when expressing his faith and his relation with the Creator. Chapter six takes us to religious habits and customs, such as the clothes worn by religious dignitaries, their symbolism and meaning. It also deals with some general habits and customs. The reader may find that some chapters overlap. In fact, we have tried to make each part related to the others yet independent from them. This method facilitates the reading and understanding of any subject on its own without the need to refer to prior or subsequent parts. Finally, those who had any – minor or major – contribution in this book – despite the lacks that some readers might see – hope that they have offered a useful work in the process of discovering others who are different and who hold rich traditions as well human and spiritual values.

UNESCO international meeting of experts: fostering a culture of intercultural dialogue in the Arab States; report Year of publication: 2012 Corporate author: UNESCO Beirut Within the framework of the project “Fostering a Culture of Peace and Dialogue” an international meeting of experts on Fostering a Culture of Intercultural Dialogue in the Arab States took place in Beirut, Lebanon on 6 and 7 March 2012 at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Verdun. The meeting was organized by UNESCO Beirut Office in partnership with the Government of Saudi Arabia and the King Abdulaziz Center of National Dialogue and in collaboration with the Arab Thought Foundation. The 2 days event was a landmark meeting of 35 experts and professionals from more than 11 countries, representing a wide range of fields in conflict resolution, research and education, media and journalism. The meeting is the first activity of a series of regional activities and interventions to be organized within the framework of the UNESCO project “Fostering a Culture of Peace and Dialogue”.

Sustainable Development Goal 4: The Dubai Roadmap for Education 2030 in the Arab Region (2017-2018) Year of publication: 2017 Corporate author: UNESCO Beirut SDG 4 agenda inspires us to pursue a humanistic vision of education and development based on human rights and dignity, social justice, protection, cultural diversity, and shared responsibility and accountability. Also, it is underpinned by the principle that education is a public good, a fundamental human right and a basis for guaranteeing the realization of other rights. Furthermore, it is essential for peace, human fulfillment and sustainable development. Having adopted the Arab Regional Roadmap for SDG 4 and Education 2030 (Cairo Roadmap) at ARMED I, we, Arab Member States and partners, have since commenced implementation of the Agenda as appropriate and relevant to national contexts.

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