UNU/UNITAR SERIES ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN PRACTICE
Session II: Sustainable Development Education --
Challenges and Opportunities in the National Planning Processes
New York, 15 April 1998
INFORMATION NOTE
INTRODUCTION TO SERIES
The United Nations University (UNU) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) have launched an annual series of seminars and workshops to provide delegates in New York with skills and understanding of issues related to sustainable development, in particular the linkages between policy and practice.
OBJECTIVES OF SESSION II
To organize a seminar for delegates to the United Nations and other selected participants, to review policies and practices in the context of the upcoming debates at the sixth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) and in the general framework of Chapter 36 of Agenda 21: Education, Public Awareness and Training. The seminar will be conducted on the premise that though there is an increased recognition of education as an instrument of change for the implementation of Agenda 21 as a whole, much remains to be done at the policy level, notably in identifying innovative ways of main-streaming sustainable development education.
ORGANIZATION
The seminar will consist of lectures, case study presentations and discussions on projects and policies dealing with sustainable development education. Participants will have an opportunity to study some innovative projects that have been launched by local authorities or non-governmental groups, that could be pursued at the policy levels, and follow a presentation on modern tools and technologies which could help enhance the effectivity of outreach policies. They will participate in an interactive session with a panel of policy makers, practitioners and academics, before finalizing a list of the seminar conclusions.
PARTICIPANTS
This seminar is designed mainly for those members of permanent missions in New York dealing with sustainable development issues, and in particular those having to follow the work of the Commission for Sustainable Development. For practical reasons the number of participants will be limited. UNU and UNITAR thus reserve the right to make a selection among the candidates, if necessary. Priority will be given to those participants having participated in Session I of the UNU/UNITAR Series. The selected candidates are requested to regard their participation as a firm commitment.
RESOURCE PERSONS
The seminar will be coordinated by UNU and UNITAR in close cooperation with an education team composed of resource persons from the Division of Sustainable Development at DESA, UNESCO and UNEP. Other resource persons will be drawn mainly from those in the international community and from academia involved in sustainable development education.
WORKING LANGUAGES
The seminar will be conducted in English.
DATE AND VENUE
The seminar will be held at the Dag Hammarskjöld Library Auditorium, United Nations Headquarters in New York on 15 April 1998, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2.30 to 5.30 p.m.
REGISTRATION
Members of the permanent missions accredited to the United Nations in New York and other interested groups who wish to participate in this seminar are requested to complete the attached registration form and return it to the following address:
UNITAR (Attn.: Ms. Humaira Kamal)
1 United Nations Plaza, Suite DC1-603
New York, NY 10017
Phone: (212) 963-9684/9196 Fax: (212) 963-0995/9686
Registration deadline: 8 April 1998.