The second BKMC x UNESCO APCEIU collaborative online course is now available on GCED Online Campus!

February 21, 2020
Today on February 21st, 2020, the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens is pleased to officially launch its second collaborative online course with UNESCO APCEIU on GCED Online Campus. Those who are interested in learning about the issues surrounding gender equality and how to effectively tackle the issues and contribute to empowering women and girls are cordially invited to take the course. This course provides global citizens an opportunity to learn from global leaders, experts and advocates from across sectors: international organizations, universities, NGOs, governments, and corporations. While our first course introduced the overall concept of global citizenship and the SDGs, our second course focuses on the topics of gender equality and women’s empowerment with a combination of the series of lectures by renowned international experts on concepts, theories and thematic areas, interviews with scholars, UN representatives, change makers, case presentations of innovative approaches and practices by global citizens all around the world. Understanding the 5th SDG – the multifaceted issues around it and the efforts put forth worldwide to achieve it – is the foundation for this course. Particularly, the course aims to examine and critically reflect on the revolving issues around both gender equality and women’s empowerment with sustainable development by providing a platform where learners can virtually meet and learn from one another. It brings a critical eye to gender inequality and how it is addressed in the field of sustainable development. Learners will be able to deepen their understanding of gender equality and women’s empowerment, exchange and embrace different perspectives, and challenge their own assumptions. The course invites those who see themselves as global citizens as well as who aspire to assume active roles in bringing meaningful changes to oneself and so the society they are in. “Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment: A Pathways to Sustainable Development” is comprised of five modules: (1) Introduction to Gender Equality and Women’s Rights (2) Gender Equality in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (3) Women’s Empowerment (4) Critical Issues on Gender Equality (5) Plan for Action Paving the Way to Equality After completing all courses, students will received a Certificate issued by UNESCO APCEIU and the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens. Requirements for the completion are as followed: 1) Watch all lectures / videos 2) Participate in Form / Discussion 3) Take a quiz 4) Final Assignment 5) Course Evaluation Please invite those around you, who see themselves as global citizens as well as who aspire to assume active roles in bringing meaningful changes to oneself and to global society! Register HERE.

The first World Forum on Non-formal Education convened by the Scout Movement kicks off in Rio de Janeiro

December 10, 2019
The World Non-Formal Education Forum, convened by the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM), UNICEF, UNFPA and the Office of the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, kicked off in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on December 9th and will run until December 11th. The Forum is the first convening of its kind offering an international platform for ideas on non-formal education and aiming to explore how organisations can keep pace with the latest trends in non-formal education and contribute towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Non-formal education is a prerequisite for meaningful engagement in modern society. We are witnessing the largest generation of youth the world has ever seen, and it is our responsibility to ensure that every young person has access to opportunities that allow them to thrive in this rapidly changing society,” said Ahmad Alhendawi, Secretary General of the Scout Movement, who also serves on the Ban Ki-moon Centre’s Board.
Moderated by Alhendawi, the first plenary session was held under the theme of “A Changing World of Learning: Where does Non-Formal Education fit in?” where BKMC CEO Monika Froehler featured as a key speaker.
She said “a life-long learning is incredibly important and non-formal education is actually much faster than formal education and is a pioneer in the life-long learning platform.”
“We need people that have agency. We need people with a global citizenship mindset,”quoting Jack Ma, Founder of Alibaba Group and Jack Ma Foundation, Froehler said that this is exactly what non-formal education says.
Contrary to the notion that education happens only through the formal educational curriculum, non-formal education is what happens in places such as youth organizations and clubs, and community groups where young people meet to undertake projects together, facilitate peer-to-peer learning, and engage in activities like camping, music and community service. Research highlights the increasing relevance of non-formal in building a wide-range of competencies that are necessary for a changing-world.
Jayathma Wickramanayake, the UN Youth Envoy, stressed that there should be “mutual respects across generations and within the generation.” Leading the youth panel discussion, she agreed that young people should not be expected to bring new solutions but rather that they are here to encourage the decision-makers to actually implement the solutions.
The three-day programme features a series of main panel discussions led by sector experts, stage talks, innovation labs and over 30 interactive sessions and side events. Among the key outcomes of the event will be a joint statement referred to as the Rio Declaration, presenting action items and commitments to advance the agenda and investment in non-formal education.
“Non-formal education is a powerful force for empowering young people to become active citizens and create social impact towards sustainable development. The next three days will bring key actors on board to drive more recognition and investments in non-formal education and allow us the opportunity to collaborate internationally and form successful partnerships,” said Pia Melin Mortensen, Member of the World Scout Committee and Chair of the World Non-Formal Education planning team.
The event is also providing a platform for alliances of youth orgnaisations to convene their annual side meetings including the International Coordination Meeting of Youth Organisations (ICMYO) and the “Big 6” group of youth organisations which includes the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, YMCA, YWCA, International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award.   “We are small organizations but have enormous impacts. Our work is super valuable,” said one of the participants from the audience at the youth panel discussion.   Watch the live streaming here:
Welcome to #NFEforum Live
Article Source: https://worldnfeforum.com/largest-specialized-world-forum-on-non-formal-education-kicks-off-in-rio-de-janeiro/ Highlights: https://worldnfeforum.com/highlights-of-the-day/ © Enrique Leon / World Scouting

 

The first “International Symposium on Youth Participation in Peace Processes” was successfully held!

March 7, 2019
The first “International Symposium on Youth Participation in Peace Processes” was held in Helsinki, Finland on March 5-6th where BKMC CEO Monika Froehler participated. The youth participants from all over the world openly discussed the improvements needed in the participation of youth in operational and political aspects to realize the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2250 (2015) and UNSCR 2419 (2018).
President of the United Nations General Assembly María Fernanda Espinosa listened to the youth activists’ appeals and said that “young people need support as agents of change” and that “young people help to reform the UN.”
The participants actively shared critical thoughts on the status quo of the actions taken and changes made about the resolutions for youth. Discussing what still needs to be improved in terms of including youth in the peace process, the young peacebuilders presented recommendations for the policy change and how they can contribute.
“Let us say enough to the misconceptions that have allowed young people’s capabilities and capacities for peacebuilding and sustaining peace to go unrecognized and undervalued,” said Wickramanayake.
Under the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland and the governments of Qatar and Colombia, the event was organized by the UNSG’s Envoy on Youth Jayathma Wickramanayake and Search for Common Ground in partnership with the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and United Network of Young Peacebuilders (UNOY).
“Build frameworks to engage youth in the way society is ruled and run. Inclusion is the name of the game,” said Colombian Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo of Foreign Affairs at the symposium.
This symposium brought in lots of positive energy and strengthened bridges between the aspiring young leaders and the world leaders from different sectors and from different parts of the world. BKMC CEO Froehler expressed that lots of enthusiasm was evident during the symposium for “shining a light on youth participation in peace processes.”
Froehler emphasized that “the light gets stronger when we are shining together.”
Watch the livestreamed video of the symposium here: https://formin.videosync.fi/youth-participation-in-peace-processes Photo by: Nikke Puskala

UN Youth Envoy on Youth Empowerment in the Field of Peace and Security

May 2, 2018
Last week, Ms. Jayathma Wickramanayake, the Envoy of the Secretary-General on Youth, along with two other young female speakers, Sofia Pierre-Antoine and Kessy Ekomo-Soignet, delivered inspiring speeches at the UN Security Council (UNSC) on youth empowerment in the field of peace and security. Ms. Wickramanayake emphasized how young people, especially young women are engaging themselves in active movement to lead changes in the field. The UNSC announced the resolution 2250 which was the first international policy framework to recognize young people’s roles in conflict prevention and resolution, and peace building in 2015. In accordance with the UNSCR 2250, a Youth4Peace community has been putting power of young men and women together to promote and maintain international peace and security. As three years have passed now, she points out there are still existing issues of “the growing mistrust from young generations towards former political institutions” and “the exclusion of young people from political, civic, and economic life.” In attempts to solve these issues, the youth envoy strongly asked the UN Security Council to broaden opportunities for young people to participate and contribute in the matter while at the same time working on reducing the mistrust between the youth, their governments, and the multilateral system. She made three suggestions:
  1. Support, recognize, fund, scale up, and protect the peacebuilding of young people.
  2. Prioritize political participation for young people to be fully engaged.
  3. Partner to continue efforts and promote the youth’s activities.
Watch Ms. Jayathma Wickramanayake’s speech at the UNSC 2018 here. Source: https://www.youth4peace.info Photo: UN Photo by Mark Garten