About UNESCO ASPnet: Vision, Mission and Global Impact
Founded in 1953, the UNESCO Associated Schools Network (ASPnet) is a cornerstone of UNESCO's global education mandate. It unites nearly 10,000 educational institutions across nearly 170 countries, engaging more than 300,000 teachers and 5 million learners worldwide.
ASPnet's core mission is to advance education for peace, human rights, global citizenship, and sustainable development by empowering schools as centers of dialogue, innovation, and social change. Aligned with UNESCO's Recommendation on Education for Peace, Human Rights and Sustainable Development (2023) and Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), especially Target 4.7, ASPnet fosters global citizenship and equips young people with the values and skills needed to address shared global challenges.
Why This Global Meeting Matters
This high-level gathering is critical to strengthening ASPnet's global governance, enhancing national coordinators' operational capacity, and scaling effective education innovations. Moving beyond conventional report-based conferences, the meeting emphasizes peer learning and practical empowerment.
Over three days, participants will lead interactive workshops and deep-dive dialogues on pressing global education priorities, including:
- Artificial intelligence in formal and non-formal education
- Scaling the whole-school approach for global citizenship
- Advancing ocean literacy and environmental education
Guided by the ASPnet Strategic Action Framework 2025–2029, the meeting will reinforce global collaboration, promote mutual learning among civilizations, and align national ASPnet operations more closely with UNESCO's global education priorities.
A Milestone for Global Education
Ms. Stefania Giannini, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education, and Ms. Min Jeong Kim, Director of the Education 2030 Department, will deliver keynote addresses. Representatives from UNESCO headquarters and regional office, along with experts from UNESCO Category 1 and Category 2 institutes, will join national coordinators to shape the future direction of global basic education.
By translating global strategic consensus into local action, the meeting will strengthen ASPnet's role as a catalyst for inclusive, innovative, and sustainable education transformation worldwide.