Celebration of International Day of Education 2020 in New Delhi

UNESCO New Delhi is celebrating the International Day of Education to share and reiterate our aim of ensuring equitable access to quality education for all. In this regard, UNESCO New Delhi published the first-of-its-kind annual report on people with disabilities in 2019. Similarly, an annual report on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) will be released in 2020. Since inclusivity is deeply ingrained within the SDG 4 targets, the theme for IDE 2020 is chosen as ‘Inclusive Education’.

UNESCO, as the specialized United Nations agency for education, facilitates the annual observance of the IDE in close collaboration with main education actors. For IDE 2020, UNESCO New Delhi (NDL) has chosen ‘Inclusive Education’ as a theme for this auspicious occasion. Whilst talking about inclusivity, UNESCO NDL is collaborating with World Vision to celebrate this day and advocate the significance of educating girl child. 24 January also coincides with the ‘National Girl Child Day’ which adds further relevance to the ’Inclusive Education’ theme.

UNESCO New Delhi is committed in promoting and ensuring the need to provide equitable access to quality education for all. Inclusive education comes out of a vision of the world based on equity, justice and fairness. In this regard, UNESCO New Delhi office launched, ‘N FOR NOSE - State of the Education Report for India 2019: Children with Disabilities’, in July 2019. It aims to articulate a vision of education for children with disabilities for 2030 as set out in national and international policy documents and legislative frameworks. Similarly, an annual report on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) will be released in 2020. As we step up our efforts in the countdown towards achieving the 2030 agenda, we reaffirm the need to form an education system which is inclusive by tackling social, cultural, economic and spatial inequalities within countries. Concerted and multi-sectoral efforts are the need of the hour to ensure the fulfilment of the SDGs’ pledge of ‘leaving no one behind’.