International Day to Protect Education from Attack
On May 28, 2020, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 74/275, establishing September 9 as the International Day to Protect Education from Attack. Recognizing the importance of raising awareness of the dire need to preserve education and protect it from attack, the Resolution designates UNESCO and UNICEF to serve as co-facilitators for the yearly observance of this Day and calls upon stakeholders to keep this issue at the top of the international agenda and duly act to alleviate the plight of students affected by armed conflicts.
The observance of this International Day serves as an annual platform to amplify advocacy and galvanize action for the protection of education and sustainable peace for all.
Schools, universities and educational dwellings should always be safe havens to foster peace and development. Equally important is the safety and well-being of students, teachers and other educational personnel. In compliance with the principle of distinction of International Humanitarian Law, their civilian nature should be recognized, protected and never targeted.
Armed conflicts present many devastating barriers to learning, impacting access to quality, equitable, inclusive and safe education. Today's nature of protracted conflicts negatively affects the future of entire generations of learners, particularly that of children and other vulnerable populations, with lasting consequences that deny them lifelong learning opportunities, economic prosperity, development and peace. The right to education must be respected, upheld and enjoyed by everyone, especially in contexts of armed conflict and insecurity.
2023 celebrations
The main high-level observance of the fourth International Day to Protect Education from Attack will be convened in UNHQ’s ECOSCOC Chamber on 13 September, 2023, in partnership between the State of Qatar, Education Above All Foundation, UNICEF, UNESCO and the United Nations Department of Global Communications.
Additionally, two High-level commemorations will be organized in Geneva on 11 September and in Doha on 13 September. Throughout one week, education stakeholders and partners will come together to call for the protection of education and justice for victims, which is the theme of this year. The voice of youth and the need to include them in decision-making processes that concern them will be highlighted, especially from those with personal experience of living in conflict zones and confronting violence and disruption to the education process.
