Revision of the 1974 Recommendation: technical consultations

During the second phase of the revision process of the 1974 Recommendation concerning education for international understanding, co-operation and peace, UNESCO reached out to, and consulted, a variety of stakeholder groups, including UN and other global and regional multilateral partners, non-governmental organizations, practitioners, individual experts, academics and youth.

Last update:29 June 2023

Global survey

From January to March 2022, UNESCO conducted a global survey  to collect the views of individuals who are engaged in the areas that are concerned by the 1974 Recommendation on a personal or professional level in view of collecting their ideas on how the instrument can be updated to address contemporary challenges.

Regional consultations

UNESCO organized 5 interdisciplinary and multi-stakeholder regional technical consultations in Africa, Arab States, Asia-Pacific, Europe & North America, and Latin America & Caribbean. The results of the regional consultations drew insights from each region that will inform the development of the first draft of the revised Recommendation.

The objective was to collect preliminary ideas on the possible scope of the revisions to be prepared by UNESCO; to discuss the region-specific issues that need to be considered in the revision, and inputs in terms of vision, structure and any other new ideas. The consultations also aimed to identify opportunities of cooperation within the region to promote the revised Recommendation once adopted by the General Conference. 

Participants included concerned constituencies and stakeholders, including education professionals (e.g. curriculum developers, teacher trainers, educators), researchers, practitioners including youth working in formal, non-formal and informal settings, and in the associated areas of the 1974 Recommendation, such as education for peace, human rights, global citizenship, sustainable development, health and well-being, or social and emotional learning, transformative education, art education, etc.

Calendar of regional consultations

Compilation of the outcomes of the regional consultations

Thematic consultations

From mid-March to May 2022 UNESCO is organizing various thematic discussions and consultations on strategic issues and focus areas of relevance to the Recommendation, for example on youth perspectives, education for sustainable development, monitoring and evaluation.

Capitalizing to the extent possible on planned events, these exchanges are taking place during events organized by the Organization or its partners.

Consultation reports:

Technical notes

UNESCO developed a series of technical notes to inform the deliberations of the International Expert Group and help clarify the scope and depth of the required revisions.

Thematic papers

UNESCO developed a series of substantive Thematic Papers focusing on topics that are not, or insufficiently, covered in the current Recommendation but that require greater attention in view of ensuring it addresses contemporary challenges to lasting peace.

The International Expert Group

The Director-General of UNESCO established a multidisciplinary International Expert Group (IEG) constituted of women and men,  experts from all regions, nominated in their personal capacity, to advise the Organization on the revision of the Recommendation concerning Education for International Understanding, Co-operation and Peace and Education relating to Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

The work of the IEG will be informed by the expertise of its members, the outcomes of the technical consultations, relevant reports, technical briefs, thematic papers, background materials provided by the Secretariat as well as available evidence and research.

Observer comments submitted to the IEG

The work of the IEG

The work of the IEG is expected to span over a period of two months – from May to June 2022. The official working languages of the IEG will be English and French.

First meeting of the IEG - 12-13 May 2022

Second meeting of the IEG - 7-8 June 2022

Third meeting of the IEG - 22-23 June 2022