The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) expresses its support for the Safe Schools Declaration, which was presented by the State of Qatar, on Friday (9 September 2022), during a high-level meeting at UNESCO headquarters, on the occasion of the celebration of the third anniversary of the International Day to Protect Education from Attack, and calls upon its Member States to support this declaration and comply with the provisions of international law and treaties as well as the international humanitarian law on the protection of educational facilities in conflict areas.

ICESCO also appreciates the call for the preservation of educational facilities, preventing their use for military purposes in conflict areas, monitoring violations, ensuring that those responsible are held accountable, training teachers and educational staff in schools on how to deal with emergencies and contribute to protecting students, and set action plans to develop exceptional educational programmes in conflict areas.

As it expresses its support for this initiative, ICESCO reaffirms its consistency with its new vision and strategic orientations, which seek to guarantee the right to inclusive and equitable education for all, through cooperation with its Member States to develop educational systems and curricula, and benefit from the capabilities offered by modern technology in this regard. Through ambitious programmes and projects in the areas of illiteracy eradication, lifelong learning, confronting school dropouts, reducing educational losses, and developing students’ skills to keep pace with the global technological developments and the requirements of tomorrow’s professions.