Symposium June 2006 > presentation

Progress and proposals regarding education for sustainable development, Paris, 14 -16 June 2006

Symposium organized within the scope of the UN Decade "Education for Sustainable Development"

In March 2005 began the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, spanning from 2005 to 2014. UNESCO was requested to lead the decade and develop a draft implementation scheme. Sustainable development represents a major challenge for our societies and education appears to be the most appropriate way for changing our behavior. Lifelong formal, non-formal and informal education would help citizens to create a more sustainable future in terms of environmental integrity, economic visibility and social equity for present and future generations.

Within the framework of this Decade, France is organizing a symposium untitled "Progress and proposals regarding education for sustainable development". This event is placed under the auspicies of UNESCO, the Council of Europe and the Francophone international Organization (OIF).

Aims of the Symposium
The conference will provide a forum for an enhanced exchange of information and experience in the field of ESD, to communicate current progress about ESD as well as for good practice to be identified with a view to providing perspectives and guidance for possible future developments and networking in accordance with the agenda of the DESD implementation.

Keys areas of sustainable development have to be considered such as society, the environment, economy and culture in relation to the objectives of the Strategy :
> to ensure that policy, regulatory and operational frameworks support ESD;
> to promote SD through formal, non formal and informal education;
> to equip educators with the competence to include SD in their teaching
> to ensure that adequate tools and materials for ESD are accessible;
> to promote research and development of ESD
> to strengthen cooperation on ESD at all levels.

Place of the Symposium
The symposium will occur in Paris, from the 14th to the 16th of June 2006, in the UNESCO Building.

Language
The Conference languages will be French and English.

Registration
Before the 15th of May, participants are required to register through the web site www.decennie-france.fr.

Before the 31rst of May, participants will receive confirmation of their inscription with the agenda of the symposium.

Fees registration and strategy for lowering carbon emissions
There is no registration fee but participants will be asked to participate in lowering carbon emissions through a voluntarycontribution of 15 Euros. This contribution will facilitate the funding of development projects in merging countries.

Call for papers
Participants are invited to submit papers presenting their experiences, approaches, projects in the fields of formal, non formal and informal education for sustainable development. These documents, in French or in English, are to be sent before the 15th of May to the following Email address "decennie-france@ecologie.gouv.fr".

Housing
Participants will soon find on the web site of the Symposium a list of hotels offering special rates to participants.