1. Regional Workshop on ESD Strategies for the Asia and Pacific Priorities and Themes for ESD in the Asia-Pacific –The Importance of EIU for ESD Lawrence Surendra 22 November 2004, Seoul

2. Mandate of APCEIU ( Article 2 of AGREEMENT with UNESCO) ■ Strengthen national and regional capacities in education ■ Strengthen national and regional capacities in education for international understanding. for international understanding. ■ Encourage and facilitate collaborative links between Asia- Pacific initiatives and other regional, international and global efforts in education. ■ Encourage and facilitate collaborative links between Asia- Pacific initiatives and other regional, international and global efforts in education. ■ Implement research and development of the philosophy, teaching methods and curriculum of education for international ■ Implement research and development of the philosophy, teaching methods and curriculum of education for international understanding. understanding. ■ Organize training workshops and seminars. ■ Organize training workshops and seminars. ■ Produce and disseminate teaching materials and other publications. ■ Produce and disseminate teaching materials and other publications.

3. APCEIU Mission APCEIU Mission PROMOTE, regionally and internationally, EIU which strengthens participatory democracy, protection of human rights, social and economic justice, inter-cultural respect, ecological sustainability, and nonviolent and just reconciliation of conflicts. PROMOTE, regionally and internationally, EIU which strengthens participatory democracy, protection of human rights, social and economic justice, inter-cultural respect, ecological sustainability, and nonviolent and just reconciliation of conflicts. COLLABORATE with educators and institutions to expand, strengthen, and institutionalize EIU in schools and society. COLLABORATE with educators and institutions to expand, strengthen, and institutionalize EIU in schools and society. SERVE as a centre of excellence for EIU in the Asia- Pacific Region. SERVE as a centre of excellence for EIU in the Asia- Pacific Region. SHARE ideas and lessons for enhancing and implementing EIU with educators, policy-makers, institutions, and communities in other regions and countries, through networking and partnerships. SHARE ideas and lessons for enhancing and implementing EIU with educators, policy-makers, institutions, and communities in other regions and countries, through networking and partnerships.

4. Main Areas of Work APCEIU programs and activities are organized around APCEIU programs and activities are organized around the following 6 areas: the following 6 areas: ■ Asia-Pacific Teacher Training Workshops on EIU ■ Asia-Pacific Teacher Training Workshops on EIU ■ EIU Training for Civil Society Leaders ■ EIU Training for Civil Society Leaders ■ Research and Development of EIU Curriculum & ■ Research and Development of EIU Curriculum & Teaching/Learning Materials including in the future development of online courses using IT Teaching/Learning Materials including in the future development of online courses using IT ■ Publication and Information Service on EIU ■ Publication and Information Service on EIU ■ Cooperation and Networking ■ Cooperation and Networking

5. APCEIU EIU and ESD APCEIU work in the field of EIU is closely inter-related to the objectives of ESD. APCEIU work in the field of EIU is closely inter-related to the objectives of ESD. The Objectives of ESD according to UNESCO is, “the promotion of values and ethics through education at different levels to make an impact on people’s lifestyles and behaviour and help build a sustainable future” The Objectives of ESD according to UNESCO is, “the promotion of values and ethics through education at different levels to make an impact on people’s lifestyles and behaviour and help build a sustainable future”

6. Education for Sustainable Development UNESCO’s ESD work has been based on the three thronged concept of: UNESCO’s ESD work has been based on the three thronged concept of:TransdisciplinarityInnovationPartnering

7. Five Key Lessons learnt in the Decade between Rio Earth Summit (1992) and Johannesburg WSSD (2002) 1. ESD is an emerging concept seeking to empower people of all ages to assume responsibility for creating a sustainable future 2. Basic Education is a foundation and contributes to ESD 3. Need to refocus many existing education policies, programmes and practices

8. Five Key Lessons learnt in the Decade between Rio Earth Summit (1992) and Johannesburg WSSD (2002) (continued) 4. Education is the key to rural transformation and is essential to ensuring the economic, cultural and ecological vitality of rural areas and communities 5. Life long learning, including adult and community education are all vital ingredients of capacity building for a sustainable future

9. APCEIU as the only Regional Centre on EIU Focuses on 4 of the key lessons learnt between Rio and Johannesburg. These are: ESD an emerging concept that seeks to empower people of all ages to assume responsibility for creating a sustainable future ESD an emerging concept that seeks to empower people of all ages to assume responsibility for creating a sustainable future Basic Education as a foundation that contributes to ESD Basic Education as a foundation that contributes to ESD Refocusing on existing education policies, programmes and practices Refocusing on existing education policies, programmes and practices Stress on education as the key to rural transformation and as essential to ensuring the economic, cultural and ecological vitality of rural areas and communities Stress on education as the key to rural transformation and as essential to ensuring the economic, cultural and ecological vitality of rural areas and communities

10. S ustainable Development is Grounded on four interdependent systems and supports four inter-related principles for sustainable living Four Systems: ★ Biophysical ★ Economic ★ Social and ★ Political Four Inter-Related Principles: ★ Peace and Equity ★ Democracy ★ Appropriate Development ★ Conservation

11. Promoting ESD in the Region and Challenges for EIU The Contexts we face: Macro-Institutional Challenges and Global and Planetary Inter-linkages – Issues such as Global Warming and impacts on local unsustainability and livelihoods Macro-Institutional Challenges and Global and Planetary Inter-linkages – Issues such as Global Warming and impacts on local unsustainability and livelihoods Socio-economic Issues – Livelihood, Participation and Partnership Socio-economic Issues – Livelihood, Participation and Partnership Lifestyle Issues – Urbanization, Lifestyles and Consumption Lifestyle Issues – Urbanization, Lifestyles and Consumption

12. Macro-Institutional Challenges and Global and Planetary Inter-linkages – Issues such as Global Warming and impacts on local unsustainability and livelihoods Impacts caused by global warming are on a global and planetary scale and affects planet earth as an ecosystem. Mitigation has to be done by humankind as a whole. This requires giving new meaning to the EIU concept of ‘Learning to live together’ not only between human beings but between humans and sentient beings (nature) Impacts caused by global warming are on a global and planetary scale and affects planet earth as an ecosystem. Mitigation has to be done by humankind as a whole. This requires giving new meaning to the EIU concept of ‘Learning to live together’ not only between human beings but between humans and sentient beings (nature) Impacts on livelihoods and the resulting poverty, hunger and destitution needs to be addressed through a new ethic of living sustainably. Impacts on livelihoods and the resulting poverty, hunger and destitution needs to be addressed through a new ethic of living sustainably. A new ethic built around social justice, democracy, peace and ecological integrity A new ethic built around social justice, democracy, peace and ecological integrity

13. Socio-economic Issues Livelihood, Participation and Partnership The Asia Pacific Region has seen rapid economic growth and prosperity especially in regions such as North Asia. Yet the region as a whole is beset with problems of rapid environmental and ecological degradation, growing income disparity, mounting youth unemployment and dissatisfaction resulting in threats to both social peace and sustainability Socio-economic issues of livelihood, issues of participation and partnership in economic growth and democratisation have to be at the heart of the efforts to promote ESD and build sustainable futures.

14. Lifestyle Issues – Urbanization, Lifestyles and Consumption Closely related to the issues of global warming, livelihood destruction, persistent poverty, malnutrition caused by hunger are issues related to the affluence and wealth of a minority. These are lifestyle issues and the values associated with consumer lifestyles. Closely related to the issues of global warming, livelihood destruction, persistent poverty, malnutrition caused by hunger are issues related to the affluence and wealth of a minority. These are lifestyle issues and the values associated with consumer lifestyles. We live in a world where ill health and malnutrition caused by lack of access to livelihood and food coexists with the malnutrition of excess and modern epidemics of obesity caused by over consumption of the affluent, the latter affecting close to 400 million. We live in a world where ill health and malnutrition caused by lack of access to livelihood and food coexists with the malnutrition of excess and modern epidemics of obesity caused by over consumption of the affluent, the latter affecting close to 400 million.

15. The Asia Pacific Region- The Challenges we face and contributions we can make The Asia Pacific region faces a dual challenge The Asia Pacific region faces a dual challenge Either to follow blindly the paradigm of unrestrained (socially and ecologically) economic growth contributing to the rapid destruction of the earth’s planetary ecosystem Either to follow blindly the paradigm of unrestrained (socially and ecologically) economic growth contributing to the rapid destruction of the earth’s planetary ecosystem OR OR Learn from our civilisational roots and the philosophy of restraint rooted in all our cultural and religious traditions Learn from our civilisational roots and the philosophy of restraint rooted in all our cultural and religious traditions

16. Learning from the Diversity of the Asia Pacific Region The rich cultural diversity of Asia is based and closely related to the diverse ecological settings within Asia. The rich cultural diversity of Asia is based and closely related to the diverse ecological settings within Asia. In the Asia Pacific Region all forms of ecosystems from tropical and rain forests and semi-tropics, to deserts to temperate climate regions exist. In the Asia Pacific Region all forms of ecosystems from tropical and rain forests and semi-tropics, to deserts to temperate climate regions exist. It is by a recognition of this diversity of ecological settings that the basis of education and dialogue that contributes to sustainable futures at the global level can be done. It is by a recognition of this diversity of ecological settings that the basis of education and dialogue that contributes to sustainable futures at the global level can be done. This is particularly true when we see the very survival of planet earth threatened in the face of irreversible climate change. This is particularly true when we see the very survival of planet earth threatened in the face of irreversible climate change.

17. Mutual Learning A major contribution the Asia Pacific Region can make to both the global community and within the different societies in the Asia Pacific region is to learn from the sustainable life styles and practices of the indigenous communities of the Asia and Pacific region. A major contribution the Asia Pacific Region can make to both the global community and within the different societies in the Asia Pacific region is to learn from the sustainable life styles and practices of the indigenous communities of the Asia and Pacific region. As much as the Asia Pacific Region can contribute from its civilisation roots to a global ethic of sustainability, the region itself can learn from its indigenous communities and they have a major contribution to make to Education for Sustainable Development. As much as the Asia Pacific Region can contribute from its civilisation roots to a global ethic of sustainability, the region itself can learn from its indigenous communities and they have a major contribution to make to Education for Sustainable Development.

18. Greed and Need Finally Finally Whether we make it to the path of social and ecological sustainability, Whether we make it to the path of social and ecological sustainability, Whether we can contribute to assuring future generations that humans and planet earth can look to sustainable futures depends on Gandhi’s maxim: Whether we can contribute to assuring future generations that humans and planet earth can look to sustainable futures depends on Gandhi’s maxim: “ there is enough for everyone’s need but not enough for everyone’s greed”