On January 24 of each year, the world celebrates the International Day of Education, an occasion the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) seizes to recall the pivotal role of education in anchoring the values of coexistence, tolerance and openness, and countering hate speech. The Organization also reaffirms the need for international engagement to achieve peace, security and dignified living for all, reject all aspects of discrimination, marginalization and racism, and work towards ending wars and armed conflicts and establishing peace.

In light of the theme of this year’s celebration, “Learning for lasting peace,” ICESCO calls for working towards a radical yet concrete transformation of education in such a way as to contribute to promoting peace and ensuring its sustainability, engaging communities, harnessing innovative initiatives, and allocating international resources to support developing education to be at the core of peace-building efforts.

Moreover, given the shared responsibility towards bringing up generations capable of building just and comprehensive peace, ICESCO exerts tireless efforts to preserve the right to education and lifelong learning for all, especially among those affected by armed conflicts, occupation and crises, such as refugees, displaced persons and vulnerable groups. The Organization consistently seeks to ensure the continuity of the educational process by protecting educational institutions and teaching faculties from attacks and threats.

Likewise, ICESCO reiterates its call for the global community, the relevant organizations and bodies and its Member States to accord greater attention to education to harness understanding, foster cooperation and protect human dignity as part of the international efforts to promote education as a key item on the global agenda, and in honor of commitments to transform education and achieve the Education Vision 2030.

The Organization also reaffirms placing education at the forefront of its priorities, in recognition of the magnitude of responsibilities and challenges facing the Islamic world, and in a bid to render education a model for integration, justice, harmony and resilience.