International Day of Education: Power of Youth Co-creating Education
“On this International Day of Education, we are reaffirming a simple yet powerful belief: the belief that young people have a rightful place at the decision-making table – not only as beneficiaries, but also as full-fledged partners.” Khaled El-Enany, UNESCO Director General
International Day of Education: Youth Co-creating Education
January 24 is International Day of Education – This year’s theme is: The power of youth in co-creating education.
What do we know about Education Day?
On December 3, 2018, The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution to proclaim 24 January as International Day of Education, in celebration of the role of education for peace and development. When we think of development, we must think of the future and prepare the next generation to assume responsibility for managing our planet. Educating our youth is key to building a sustainable planet that will thrive beyond my generation. Empowering them to take on leadership roles from an early age helps them build the skills and necessary experience to lead with confidence.
Did you know that, according to a UN/UNESCO report, 251 million children and youth are out of school, 122 million are girls, and 763 million adults are illiterate?
The basic right to education that ultimately benefits every nation is being violated globally. Without an inclusive, equitable, quality education and lifelong opportunities for all, we will not break the cycle of poverty affecting millions of youth, children and adults. Youth empowerment is a vital part of the solution.
With this year’s theme, UNESCO and the UN have set in motion a call to action to motivate nations and communities to engage, encourage and empower youth to step up and learn to take charge. It won’t happen overnight, but we must start the process and mentor young people for future leadership roles.
In celebration of this year’s theme, UNESCO offered the following Recommendations for creating meaningful change with youth:
1. Establish formal mechanisms in legislation or regulations that require youth and student participation in decision-making roles.
2. Ensure that processes inviting participation are meaningful and aligned with principles that guarantee accessible, inclusive, safe, transparent and representative participation.
3. Engage youth and student organizations not only in policy design but also in implementation.
4. Support youth engagement with sufficient curriculum time and resources to develop civic skills and organizational capacity that enable young people to become active, engaged and decision-making citizens.
Are you a parent of young students? How is this playing our in their lives?
Continued Below
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Nelson Mandela
International Day of Education: Youth Co-creating Education
As Nelson Mandela said in the quote above, education is our superpower that can revolutionize the world. While we all stand to benefit from the fresh insights of visionary leaders, ultimately, our youth will be the beneficiaries of a sane planet, if we do our part properly. Let’s remember that education opens doors and no one can take your knowledge from you. Benjamin Franklin reminded us that “If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him. An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.”
Why do Youth Co-creating Education Matter & How can we Participate in International Day 2026?
Since youth under 30 make up more than half the world’s population, their voices are critical to decision-making in education. We can further advocate for inclusive, relevant and youth-centered education systems by doing the following:
1. Host or support an event that is youth-focused and centered on youth as co-creators of education.
2. Share your voice, your vision and your response to this key question: “If you were Minister of Education for a day, what would be the first change you would make?”
3. Spread the message on your social media channels by incorporating stories, visuals, and examples from UNESCO’s campaign materials, Lead with Youth upcoming report, and any youth initiatives in your community.
4. Share a good practice in youth engagement from your community. Do you have proven, effective youth led initiatives to share?
Use hashtag #EducationDay Tag @UNESCO, @Education2030UN and @GEMReport
In UNESCO’s ‘We Believe in Education’ YouTube video above, we are reminded that:
Education can instill peace and tolerance in the minds of learners.
Education can create just and equal societies.
Education can harness the potentials of digital transformation
Education can repair our damaged planet and help us live more sustainably.
In order to reach these lofty goals, we must ensure that we are inviting the next generation to co-create the future. We cannot do it alone and neither can our youth. We need the collaboration of caring co-creating minds. What more can we do? What more can Education do?
Continued Below
“Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another.” G.K. Chesterton
International Day of Education: Youth Co-creating Education
Are you familiar with UNESCO’s 14 guiding principles, concrete learning outcomes and priority action areas for education and educators?
The UNESCO Recommendation on Education for Peace, Human Rights and Sustainable Development (2023) defined 14 guiding principles for education, with a focus on human rights-based, lifelong, inclusive, and transformative learning. The principles foster peace, critical thinking, and global citizenship, with action areas including laws/policies, curriculum, teaching, environments, and assessment.
The 14 Guiding Principles for Education are:-
1. Human-rights based: Foundation of all educational efforts.
2. Lifelong, continuous, and transformative: Beyond formal schooling.
3. Accessible and quality education: Guaranteed for all.
4. Public/Common Good: Education as a shared responsibility.
5. Knowledge Co-creation: Collaborative learning approaches.
6. Non-discriminatory: Ensuring equality in all forms.
7. Freedom of Thought/Expression: Protecting open dialogue.
8. Ethic of Care: Fostering empathy, compassion, and solidarity.
9. Participatory/Responsible Tech: Using digital tools ethically.
10. Gender Equality: Advancing equal rights and opportunities.
11. Global/Local Perspective: Connecting, local, national, and global issues.
12. Equity/Inclusion: Respecting diversity.
Intercultural/
13. Intergenerational Dialogue: Promoting peace.
14. Safety and Well-being: Protecting learners and teachers.
Which of these resonates the most with you and why?
The Priority Action Areas are:
1. Laws and Policies: Integrating these principles into national frameworks.
2. Curricula Development: Embedding peace, sustainability, and human rights.
3. Teaching Practices: Empowering educators with relevant training.
4. Learning Environments: Safe, inclusive, and sustainable settings.
5. Assessment: Evaluating systems to ensure they promote these outcomes. And
The Concrete Learning Outcomes are: Recommendations that aim to produce learners who are:
1. Critical Thinkers: Able to navigate complex information and misinformation.
2. Empathetic/Global Citizens: Understanding shared responsibility for peace and sustainability.
3. Responsible Digital Users: Capable of safe, ethical online interaction.
4. Agents of Change: Actively solving local and global problems.
What more can Education do? What more can we do to empower our youth to co-create in education? What are your thoughts? Share your insights in the comments.
Positive Motivation Tip: Education is a gift that can pay lifetime dividends. Manage your mind and heart well. Mentor the next generation.
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PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: All Photos Adobe Stock Free,
Amazon Public Sources, UNESCO, Media Files UNESCO
Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet
This is so amazing! It’s so important to recognize our youth now to create powerful leaders later.
Definitely. It is imperative and I hope the effort achieves the expected outcomes.
Very interesting topic. I’m a teacher and I agree that including the youngest in building education is key to keep them interested and involved.
Same here. I believe teachers have a very important role in all of this and we should help all kids to develop these skills.
This is such an important and eye-opening reminder of why education truly matters. Empowering youth through access to quality education helps build confidence, leadership, and long-term solutions for our world. Investing in education is one of the most powerful ways to break cycles of poverty and create a stronger future for generations to come.
True and it begins now not tomorrow or later. The work starts now and in our homes and in our schools to ensure we pass the baton to learners and future leaders who are compassionate, fair and unity minded…
I loved how this post highlights youth as more than just recipients of education by showing them as essential partners in shaping the systems that affect their lives and futures. It really resonates how empowering young voices can drive inclusive, relevant, and forward-thinking learning for everyone. The message feels both hopeful and action-oriented, inspiring readers to consider their own role in supporting meaningful youth participation in education.
Yes, I concur. We all have roles to play to ensure that our youth are well prepared for leadership roles tomorrow. We are living in difficult times and we need to build a moral compass that carries over to the next generation. Helping youth grasp that is very important.
251 million kids/young adults not in school (122 million girls), and 763 million illiterate adults?! That’s way, way too many. The Guiding Principles that resonated with me: #1 – it’s literally a basic human right, #10, #12 – without education, our girls and marginalized people can’t be part of changing the world (Thank you, Nelson Mandela). I also really like #9 because, in the age of AI, ethics are crucial. And one more thing that has me nodding: again, thanks to AI, do we NEED more critical thinkers or what. This was an insightful read. TY.
Henry thank you for your insightful feedback. There is so much going on in the world today that we must all pay attention and weigh the long term outcomes. I agree with you.
Thinking of the future and preparing the next generation to assume responsibility is so important. So much is going on right now and it can’t keep follow how it is. Something we all need to stop and think about.
Yes, we live in a fractious world and we need more peaceful leaders to assume responsibility for our global future.
What stood out to me was the emphasis on trust. The idea that education improves when we genuinely trust young people to help shape it felt both challenging and encouraging. A thoughtful and timely piece.
Trust does matter a lot in all relationships. I concur.
Building these spaces for young voices matters more than people realize. My neighbors always mention how much kids thrive with real responsibility.
That is true. Given the opportunity to learn to lead at an early age is important for children of all ages.
This is a very good post. I picked a lot of lessons about education and how important it is to everyone.
I’m glad you enjoyed it.
I loved how this piece celebrates the power and potential of youth as true partners in shaping the future of education. The emphasis on collaboration and co‑creation really highlights that education thrives when young voices are not just heard but actively included. Your thoughtful reflection on International Day of Education reminded me how meaningful change grows from shared passion, perspective, and purpose.
Thank you and we would have better and safer schools if adults paid attention to what the youth have to contribute.
Getting young people involved in actual policy decisions is a huge task but necessary for real change. My younger cousins have so many ideas about their schools that adults usually ignore. We need more of this.
Exactly and they often have great insight on how to make things work. We need their input.