UNESCO World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development

"ESD is a magical tool.  It connects all issues in the world."

Osamu Abe is Professor at College of Sociology and Graduate School of Intercultural Communication, Rikkyo University. Being an expert of environmental education and education for sustainable development (ESD), he played a pivotal role in making the Japanese proposal of the UN Decade of ESD at the Johannesburg Summit. He also wears a variety of hats, including the Director of the ESD Research Centre, Rikkyo University, a steering committee of Japan Society of Environmental Education, the chair of the board of the Japan Council on the UN Decade of ESD (ESD-J), a board member of the Japan Environmental Education Forum and a member of the Commission on Education and Communication, the World Conservation Union (IUCN).

top

"The World Conference on ESD is an opportunity to reflect on, review what has been achieved in ESD locally, regionally and globally, to share best practices and innovations and of course plan on how to move forward."

Lorna Down (PhD) is a lecturer in The Institute of Education, The University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston, Jamaica. Her areas of specialisation are Language Arts Education (language, literacy and literature) and teacher education.  She teaches the course: ‘Literature and Education for Sustainable Development’, a course she designed for graduate students at the University of the West Indies. She is a member of the UNITWIN/UNESCO International Network of Teacher-Education Institutions and co-chair of the Caribbean Network of Teacher Educators for ESD. Her publications include: articles on literature and ESD, literature and HIV/AIDS, violence in schools, and language text books for primary and secondary schools. 

top

"The World Conference on ESD is an opportunity to exchange best practices on sustainable living, responsible consumption and fostering the North-South dialogue. We can learn a lot at this conference: to live together, to chase life experiences and wisdom. To participate in this conference is a privilege!"

Moacir Gadotti, doctor in Educational Sciences by the University of Geneva, is professor of Philosophy of Education at the University of São Paulo and Director of Paulo Freire Institute. During the 92 Earth Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, he took part in the Global Forum, in which he worked in the elaboration of the Earth Charter's first draft and also on the Treaty on Environmental Education for Sustainable Societies and Global Responsibilities. He is author of many widely-read and translated books, among others: Invitation to Read Paulo Freire (1988), History of Pedagogical Ideas (1993), Pedagogy of Praxis (1994), Pedagogy of the Earth (2001), The Masters of Rousseau (2004), and To Educate for Another Possible World (2007), where he develops an educational proposal, oriented by the paradigm of the sustainability.

top

Professor Gerhard de Haan teaches in the education and psychology department of the Free University of Berlin. He is an expert on future trends in education and on sustainable development. Gerhard de Haan is Chairman of the German National Committee of the UN Decade of "Education for Sustainable Development” and a member of the Sciences Committee of the German Commission for UNESCO. He works on a great many academic advisory committees for projects and periodicals, is a “Professional Member” of the World Future Society, and member of a project group called "Responsibility for future generations – Implementing sustainability at school" of the "European academy for the scientific study of the consequences of scientific and technological advances Bad Neuenahr GmbH".

top

"ESD is one of the more powerful tools for preparing civilizations for the future. There is hope if we begin to collaborate on a global scale to see a more sustainable future for all as the ultimate goal of humanity."

Charles Hopkins is at York University in Toronto where he holds both a UNESCO Chair and a United Nations University Chair. The UNESCO Chair coordinates an international network of teacher education institutions working upon the reorientation of teacher education to address sustainable development. The UNU Chair focuses upon the role of ESD in community development. Hopkins is an advisor to UNESCO and UNU regarding the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (UNDESD). He played major roles in both the Rio and Johannesburg UN Summits on Sustainability.  He was an author of Chapter 36 of Agenda 21, the Rio Earth Summit Action Plan on Education, Public Awareness and training. Previously, Mr. Hopkins was a Superintendent with the Toronto Board of Education.

top

"ESD is your personal business. Together we’ll make the planet sustainable."

Pascal Valentin Houenou has about 39 years of teaching and research experience, of which 32 mainly as Professor of Inorganic and Environmental Chemistry at University of Cocody and the University of Abobo-Adjamé (Côte d’Ivoire), and head of the Environmental Sciences Laboratory. He has been the Secretary-General and Chairman of the Scientific and Pedagogic Council of the Faculty of Science and Techniques of the University of Cocody (1984-1992), advisor to the President of the University of Abobo-Adjame, responsible for international cooperation (from 1992 to 2002), and founder Dean of the UFR des Sciences et Gestion de l'Environnement at the same university (1996 to 2002). Since 1999 he is the acting Director of the Institute of Renewable Energy. In addition, Pascal Houenou is Regional Advisor at the IDRC West Africa Office, a trainer on EcoHealth (Ecosystem approach to Human Health) and former Coordinator of the field Research Project on “Improving Human Health and those of the Ecosystems in the Buyo Region, South East of Côte d’Ivoire (1996-2004)”. Besides being a Member of various committees and scientific bodies, Pascal Houenou has been consultant for various organizations (ADB, ECA, the World Bank, Association of the African Universities, UNESCO, and REDDA). Since Mai 1st 2005, He has been appointed coordinator and member of the Board of Directors of the Network for sustainable development of Africa (NESDA) hosted by the African Development Bank, in charge of Partnership for MESA (Mainstreaming Environment and sustainability in African universities) for francophone African universities.

top

"The aim of World Conference on ESD is to inspire governments, UN Agencies, international and national NGOs, universities, schools, teachers and students to work even harder to promote ESD all over the world during the second part of the UN Decade on ESD."

Carl Lindberg has served as Special Advisor to the Swedish National Commission for UNESCO on ESD since November 2005. Furthermore, he has been a Member of UNESCO’s High Level Panel on Education for Sustainable Development since July 2004 and a Member of the Board of the Centre for Sustainable Development in Uppsala since 2007. In 2003-2004, he was Chairman of the Swedish National Committee on ESD. In 1994-2004, he served as Deputy State Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Science and in 1998-1994 as Political Advisor to the members in the Standing Committee on Education and Science in the Swedish Parliament. Prior to that, he officiated as Press Officer to the Swedish Minister of Education in 1985-1989 and was Vice President in the Swedish United Nations Association in 1984-1986.

top

"This conference should help us to take stock and develop new inspiration for the ongoing task of creating a more relevant education and training system for the future, for all people."

Professor Heila Lotz-Sisitka holds the Murray & Roberts Chair of Environmental Education and Sustainability at Rhodes University, South Africa. She has contributed actively to the inclusion of environment and sustainability principles and programmes in South Africa’s new education system. She has participated in, and led numerous national and international research and teaching projects, and has published widely at national and international levels. She is Editor of the Southern African Journal of Environmental Education, and served as Chairperson of the 2007 World Environmental Education Congress Scientific Committee. She also serves on UNESCO’s international reference group for the United Nations Decade on Education for Sustainable Development. Her research interests include social change processes with an emphasis on educational quality and curriculum transformation; educational responses to poverty, risk and vulnerability; and critical research methodologies.

top

"What do you understand by Sustainable Development? Can we really educate for a sustainable future? How do we retool ourselves to respond to the challenges of our time like climate change? How do we become change agents in our families, work and communities? What best practices are out there? If you want answers to these questions, make it a priority to be part of the World Conference on ESD."

Akpezi Ogbuigwe is the Head of Environmental Education and Training, Division of Environmental Policy Implementation (UNEP). She has vast experience in the field of environmental education, research and training. Prior to joining UNEP, Akpezi Ogbuigwe was a Professor of Law at the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Nigeria and volunteered her time at ANPEZ Centre for Environment and Development , Portharcourt , Nigeria where she worked with schools, communities, government and the private sector on issues of environment and development and the running of an environmental library.

top

"'We are all in this together.' Pressing global issues demand a well-prepared society that can act on principles of sustainable development."

Pamela J. Puntenney is Founder and CEO of Environmental & Human Systems Management, consulting firm seeking to facilitate the implementation of sustainability strategies through research, the provision of key information, training and capacity building. She currently serves as the lead Co-Chair of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development Education Caucus and Head of Delegation on Climate Change and Environmental Security. As a member of the IUCN Commission on Education and Communication she has contributed her expertise on policy, advocacy, management and evaluation of education for sustainable development. Pam holds a Ph.D. in natural resources, education and anthropology, graduate degrees in human development, natural resources, policy and management as well as environmental education. Pam’s work focuses on cross-cultural solutions, the impact of world systems on local communities, public choice and public responsibility, learning systems and sustainable solutions.

top

"The only way to answer to the challenge of sustainable development is to change our behaviours at personal, social, economic and cultural levels. This can be only reached through education, public awareness and training."

Michel Ricard, University Professor, Doctor in Sciences, is former chairman of the French national committee of the United Nations Decade on Education for Sustainable Development, president of the French national Council on sustainable development. Michel Ricard has carried out scientific research on biology and ecology of natural and modified subtropical and temperate freshwater and marine ecosystems. He was responsible for several scientific French, European and international programs on environment and management of natural resources. Michel Ricard’s teaching activities primarily focus on freshwater and marine ecology, pollution monitoring with bio-indicators, eco-management and relationship between man and eco-engineering. Responsible for several international conferences and meetings on ecology, biology and sustainable development, he is the organizer of two recent international conferences on sustainable development: the annual conference of European sustainable development councils - EEAC) (Bordeaux, 8-11 October 2008) and the international conference on Education on Sustainable Development (Bordeaux, 27-29 October 2008).

top

Professor Konai Helu Thaman is currently a professor in the School of Education and holds a UNESCO Chair in Teacher Education and Culture at the University of the South Pacific (USP). She received her B.A. from University of Auckland, M.A. in International Education from the University of California at Santa Barbara, PhD in Education from the USP. Her doctoral thesis, entitled 'Ako and Faiako: Cultural Values, Educational Ideas and Teachers' Role Perceptions in Tonga was based on studies of the relationships between cultural values and educational ideas and how these were reflected in teachers' professional role. Konai Thaman is active in various committees, research groups, a member of International Network and more. She is well-known among academic institutions of the Pacific. Previously, she held senior administrative positions in the USP including Director of the Institute of Education and Pro Vice Chancellor and Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor.

top

Liu Yunhua is currently Director of the Shangri-la Institute for Sustainable Communities in China.

top

"People are the main driving force for sustainable development. They need to be implicated by consent rather than by coercion. Education is a crucial means to that end."

Rami Ahmed Zurayk is Professor and Chair of the Department of Landscape Design and Ecosystem Management as well as Director of the Interfaculty Graduate Environmental Science Program at the American University of Beirut. His Proficiency areas include programme planning, implementation and evaluation, knowledge management and ICT, sustainable agriculture, ecosystem management, academic programmes development, especially in agriculture and environmental sciences. He was educated at Oxford (D.Phil.) and the American University of Beirut.

top