UNESCO World Higher Education Conference (WHEC2022) aims at reshaping ideas and practices in higher education to ensure sustainable development for the planet and humanity. As the main United Nations agency for Sustainable Development Goal 4, UNESCO works for the right to education from a human rights approach, based on respect for life and human dignity, equal rights, social justice, cultural diversity, international solidarity and shared responsibility for a sustainable future. Within this framework, UNESCO is organizing the WHEC2021 to offer new knowledge, innovative ideas, creative alliances and form a broadened and reinvigorated coalition of the international higher education community in support of the 2030 Agenda.   

In remembrance of two powerful cyclones that hit southeast Asia in May 2019 and May 2020 – climatic catastrophes that displaced millions of people overnight, UNESCO is organizing a Webinar to stimulate the global dialogue around the impact of climate change and climate displacement on the right to education. This event is part of a broader initiative launched by UNESCO in 2020 to investigate the barriers to education posed by climate change, as well as climate-driven displacement given the increasing impact of climate change on human mobility. 

Since 1967, UNESCO has awarded International Literacy Prizes to outstanding and innovative programmes that promote literacy. Throughout the years, the prestigious Prizes have rewarded over 506 initiatives undertaken by governments and NGOs across the world. The Prizes will be awarded at an official ceremony on International Literacy Day.

Half of the young children in the world, at least 175 million, are not enrolled in pre-primary programmes. While there is evidence that a child’s early years are critical for shaping their ability to learn, develop, and reach their potential, accessing early learning opportunities remains one of the biggest challenges. To bridge the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) gaps, UNESCO, in collaboration with Uzbekistan, is organizing a intergovernmental world conference to reaffirm the right of the child to quality ECCE from birth and urge Member States’ renewed commitment to and investment in the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 4.2 which calls for ensuring that “all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education”.