244 million children and young people are still out of school

MIAMI. – The International Day of Education It is celebrated this January 24. The HIM highlights that “education is a fundamental human right that allows men and women to be lifted out of poverty, overcome inequalities and guarantee sustainable development.”

In 2022, the United Nations recorded that 244 million children and young people, between 6 and 18 years of age, around the world remain out of school for social, economic or cultural reasons.

In 2024, the theme for International Education Day is “Learning for lasting peace.” The UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) dedicates this anniversary to the role of education and teachers in combating manifestations of incitement to hate.

At the same time, the organization urges its member states “to give priority to education as a tool to promote societies that value human dignity and peace.”

For this January 24, the organization convened ministers, education officials and educators from around the world to debate the importance of education in achieving sustainable world peace. The meeting will be at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights establishes that “We all have the right to education”. The United Nations remembers that education represents a foundation for the construction of any society.

Fight speech with education

The Director General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, points out that “the accelerated spread of incitement to hatred is a threat to all communities. Our best defense is education, which must be at the center of any effort for peace. It is our collective duty to train students of all ages to deconstruct discourse of hatred and lay the foundations for inclusive, democratic societies that respect human rights. To achieve this, we need to better train and support teachers.”