Abu Dhabi, Feb 16: UNESCO Member States have unanimously adopted a groundbreaking global Framework for Culture and Arts Education, signaling a significant commitment to prioritize cultural and artistic education worldwide.
This framework encompasses several key commitments, including enhancing culture and arts education in teacher training programs, emphasizing local and indigenous cultures and heritage in classrooms, and acknowledging artistic and cultural skills within professional realms.
To translate this framework into actionable initiatives, UNESCO and the United Arab Emirates have jointly announced a major new initiative.
The adoption of this Framework marks a crucial milestone in recognizing the importance of arts education in fostering emotional intelligence, creativity, critical thinking, and overall well-being among students, as highlighted by a recent UNESCO study.
Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, expressed gratitude to Member States for their support in elevating culture and arts within education systems, while also acknowledging the transformative potential of digital technology in this realm.
The World Conference on Culture and Arts Education, hosted by UNESCO and the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi, brought together a diverse array of stakeholders, including ministers, representatives from Member States, policymakers, experts, and NGOs, to deliberate on the future of arts education.
The newly adopted UNESCO Framework underscores the importance of lifelong learning in culture and art across various educational settings, emphasizing the integration of culture and arts into education policies, strategies, curricula, and programs.
It expands the notion of “culture” to encompass built, natural, and living heritage, cultural expressions, and the cultural and creative industries.
Additionally, it recognizes the role of digital technologies in promoting intercultural dialogue and linguistic diversity.
Furthermore, the Framework emphasizes the significance of learning in, through, and with cultural diversity to foster mutual understanding and overcome societal divisions.
It calls for increased focus on local and indigenous cultures and heritage, as well as strengthened partnerships between educational and cultural institutions, including UNESCO’s World Heritage sites and the intangible cultural heritage inscribed on UNESCO’s List of Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
Building upon previous initiatives such as the UNESCO Lisbon Road Map, the Seoul Agenda, and the MONDIACULT Mexico Declaration, this Framework is the culmination of extensive multistakeholder consultations and negotiations with Member States over two years.
In conjunction with the adoption of the Framework, UNESCO and the United Arab Emirates have announced a collaborative partnership to implement its recommendations.
This initiative aims to support Member States in translating the Framework into actionable policies and practices. It will include grants and international mobility programs for teachers, as well as capacity-building initiatives for African Member States through expert visits, knowledge sharing, and vocational training.
Audrey Azoulay commended the partnership between UNESCO and the United Arab Emirates, highlighting its potential to drive meaningful change and support countries, particularly in Africa.
The initiative will focus on three main pillars: providing grants for exemplary arts education practices, offering international mobility grants for educators, and supporting African states through expert visits, knowledge sharing, and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs.
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