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.

CEO Monika Froehler moderates a session on “Voices of Youth” at the 4th GCED Conference

September 4, 2019
On September 3rd-4th, BKMC CEO Monika Froehler attended the 4th International Conference on Global Citizenship Education that was co-organized by UNESCO APCEIU, Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Korean Ministry of Education in partnership with UNESCO in Seoul, South Korea.
“I dream of a world in which young people are heard and empowered to be the changemakers they want to be,” said Froehler.
She moderated a plenary session “Voices of Youth” with youth representatives.
  • Olha Bondarenko, Member of the Financial Department, European Youth Parliament Ukraine
  • Diego Manrique, Core Member & Coordinator, GCED Youth Network
  • Priscilla Kini, Gender and Research Lead, Open Dove Children’s Foundation
The panelists touched the participants of the Conference with their inspiring stories. Bondarenko from Ukraine spoke about her experience as an internally displaced person and how it led to her volunteer work with Afghan and Syrian refugees. Being an IDP herself and having lost her home in Eastern Ukraine, Olha movingly spoke about forcibly displaced children and her own experience of teaching GCED.

Manrique from Guatemala shared his deep insights on how to network with youth for GCED. “GCED to me is simply a tool with a lot of potentials,” he said.

Kini from Ghana expressed her love for promoting peace with children. She has reached hundreds of kids in Ghana and helped them overcome conflicts. APCEIU Director Hyun-mook Lim said, “GCED will support humanities with slow but unstoppable advancement to peace.” The Conference also hosted a booth on the “GCED Online Campus” by UNESCO APCEIU. In partnership with the APCEIU’s Office of Education and Training, the Ban Ki-moon Centre has co-developed two online courses this year. As one of them titled “Becoming Global Citizens for a Sustainable Society” will be launched on the Online Campus platform later in this month, the booth displayed promotional materials and more information on the course. Lots of the Conference participants were curious to know more about this course as well as the other course on gender equality. Learn more about the Conference: http://gced.unescoapceiu.org/conference/ Learn more about the GCED Online Campus: http://gcedonlinecampus.org © UNESCO APCEIU

BKMC strengthens its partnership with UNESCO APCEIU

February 19, 2019
On February 18th, 2019, the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens and its partner UNESCO APCEIU had an official MOU signing ceremony at the APCEIU office in Seoul, South Korea. The two organizations electronically signed the MOU on October 19th, 2018 and have collaborated on promoting Global Citizenship Education (GCED), organizing experts’ meeting on education, and developing online courses on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and women’s empowerment. BKMC CEO Monika Froehler has also moderated a plenary session of the 3rd International Conference on GCED hosted by the APCEIU in Seoul in September 2018. The MOU was signed by BKMC CEO Monika Froehler and APCEIU Director Chung Utak in order to work together on further promoting the notion of global citizenship and fostering many collaborative activities, including organizing meaningful workshops and conferences on GCED. Upon the visit to the APCEIU office, the Centre also had an opportunity to introduce its work and mission to the professors of Kyung-Hee University, who were having a meeting to discuss implementing global citizenship courses as mandatory courses for all students at the university to take starting from this spring semester.

Lisbon hosts international conference and workshops on GCED

November 26, 2018
Last week, two events were held on the topic of Global Citizenship Education (GCED) in Lisbon, Portugal. The Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens’ partner UNESCO APCEIU hosted a two-day “2018 Europe and North America Regional Global Citizenship Education Network Meeting” in cooperation with UNESCO and GENE (Global Education Network in Europe) from November 21st to 22nd. On the following day, GENE organized an international conference on “Building a World of Justice and Solidarity: Global Education in the School System” in cooperation with the Portuguese government and UNESCO. The two events gathered educators and researchers from universities and academic institutions, representatives from the ministries of education, stakeholders from inter-governmental organizations and NGOs, and others from different sectors. An interactive platform was provided for the participants to actively share their ideas and expertise on GCED for the successive days. On behalf of the Centre, Associate Minji Kwag presented its work and advocacy for the subject, including its launch of the Global Citizenship Initiatives Portal, an online course on the SDGs and the notion of global citizenship as well as other upcoming courses, the annual Global Engagement and Empowerment Forum that the Centre hosts, and its number of engagements in other meetings and workshops on GCED.
These regional meetings and networking opportunities let the stakeholders seek for the betterment of the education system not only within the region of Europe and North America but across the world, pointing out the need of overall development of the global education system and cooperation between academic, governmental and international actors. The outcomes of the discussions held during the two-day workshop hosted by UNESCO APCEIU will be publicized as a report. The report will show suggestions on how to advance GCED specifically in Europe and North America and how to implement and develop the education into working solutions for global challenges that the world faces. The Final Report – EUNA GCED Network Meeting – Lisbon 2018 is now available. Learn more about UNESCO APCEIU & GENE: – www.unescoapceiu.org/en – www.gene.eu
Photo by: Gustavo Lopes Pereira

The Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens partners with UNESCO APCEIU to collaborate on GCED

October 23, 2018
Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens and UNESCO APCEIU (Asia-Pacific Centre of Education for International Understanding under the auspices of UNESCO) signed an MOU on October 19th, 2018. Both Centres aim to promote global citizenship through education to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The APCEIU organizes annual international conference on Global Citizenship Education (GCED) and provides online courses, workshops, and various other platforms to share their expertise and knowledge on GCED. Last month, the Ban Ki-moon Centre participated in the APCEIU’s 3rd International Conference on GCED; Co-chair Ban Ki-moon delivered congratulatory remarks and CEO Monika Froehler moderated a session on “GCED Talks.” The conference provided “an active platform to promote dialogue and share up-to-date issues and good practices of global citizenship education,” said APCEIU Director Utak Chung. As Co-chair Ban emphasized that “nothing can be done without good education,” both institutions will cooperate to provide quality education on global citizenship. Scholarships, fellowships, workshops, and other academic programs will be jointly initiated to spread the notion of global citizenship with a focus on empowering women and youth across the world. Photo: UNESCO APCEIU

CEO Monika Froehler moderated a plenary session at the GCED conference

September 9, 2018
During the two-day International Conference on GCED held in Seoul, Korea on September 5-6th, 2018, the BKM Centre’s CEO Monika Froehler moderated a plenary session to facilitate and present experts’ talks on global citizenship education. The session invited socially influential people to the stage one by one, who shared their ideas and views on achieving global citizenship. The speakers shared genuine stories about the power of the education on global citizenship that transforms lives. The speakers featured on the plenary session were: Photo: UNESCO APCEIU

Co-chair Ban Ki-moon delivered congratulatory address at the 3rd International Conference on GCED

September 9, 2018
The Centre’s Co-chair Ban Ki-moon delivered congratulatory address at the opening session of the 3rd International Conference on GCED co-organized by UNESCO APCEIU, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea. The conference was on the topic of “Platform on Pedagogy and Practice” with focus on local-contextualization of Global Citizenship Education (GCED).
“As Former Secretary-General (of the UN), I will continue to forge a bright future for next generation. I greatly look forward to future collaboration between my Centre and APCEIU,” said Ban.
Ban emphasized on education on global citizenship in the efforts of achieving the SDGs, concerning 60 million children who are left out of school throughout the world. APCEIU Director Chung Utak also welcomed the conference participants, and Vice Minister Park Chun-ran of the Korean Ministry of Education delivered opening address. The two-day conference consists of panel discussions, various sessions, and workshops with global citizens from all over the world. Photo: UNESCO APCEIU