Tomorrow Today

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problem-based learning and expand horizons from the local to the

global level.

International action to promote ESD

The Government of Japan has contributed to the development of

ESD around the world through its promotion, in collaboration with

UNESCO, of the development and expansion of frameworks for the

spread of grassroots ESD, including UNESCO’s Associated Schools

Project Network and RCEs, by contributing funds to UNESCO and

the United Nations University.

MEXT contributes funds-in-trust to UNESCO to promote ESD

and is engaged in international exchanges and cooperation projects,

through which both Japan and UNESCO address challenges such as

the development of sustainable societies and the human resources

of the future, to further promote ESD.

Activities are also beginning at the grassroots level in the private

sector. In Asia, such action includes:

• The collection and sharing of information on examples of practice

for the Asia Good ESD Practice Research Project (AGEPP)

• Exchanges between communities engaging in ESD

• The provision of support for ESD strategy, planning,

preparation and implementation in collaboration with

UNESCO and governments and NGOs in the Asia-

Pacific region by the Asia-Pacific Cultural Centre for

UNESCO (ACCU).

Example of ESD practice

Activities of Regional Centres of Expertise on Education for

Sustainable Development

The United Nations University introduced the concept of

Regional Centres of Expertise on Education for Sustainable

Development (RCEs) in 2004. RCEs comprise a network

of existing formal and informal educational institutions

for promoting the spread of ESD in communities and

regions. These networks consist of diverse stakeholders in

various sectors and provide forums for discussion, coop-

eration and information sharing to promote ESD. At the

same time, they serve as knowledge bases for the accu-

mulation of information and experience to support ESD

activities. Since the establishment of the first seven RCEs

International Forum on ESD Dialogue 2008

Image: Japanese Nat. Comm. for UNESCO