In early November, our Executive Director, Mirian Vilela, was invited to attend the 15th Tongyeong International ESD Forum 2024, held from November 8-9 in Tongyeong City, South Korea. The forum aimed to further encourage the integration of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), Environmental Education (EE), and lifelong learning to create a holistic learning experience. It also provided an opportunity for over 100 participants to share best practices and innovative approaches that effectively combine ESD, EE, and lifelong learning. The forum involved educators, school principals, researchers, local government representatives, and a group of educators from RCE Penang, Malaysia. Additionally, there was a beach cleanup and a visit to a local fish community nearby. Dr. Park Eun-Kyung, Founder & Honorary Chairperson, RCE Tongyeong and the Tongyeong Education Foundation for Sustainable Development, was also an active participant of this experience, offering valuable insights.
In her keynote address, Dr. Vilela shared the work we are doing at the Earth Charter International Center on ESD and our UNESCO Chair. She also reflected on the importance and urgence of integrating ESD, Global Citizenship Education (GCED), and Environmental Education in schools, as well as offering professional development opportunities for teachers through lifelong learning. She emphasized the role the Earth Charter can play in providing a solid ethical foundation to foster understanding and promote values of sustainability and global citizenship.
This was followed by a special panel in which experts shared their perspectives on the progress made in South Korea regarding ESD and EE. The panel included:
- In-Ho Kim, Director of the Institute for Innovation in Environmental Education
- Min-Sheo Shin, Professor at Seoul Women’s University
- Jin-Hee Kim, Senior Research Fellow, Korean Educational Development Institute
- Hyeon-Sun Bae, Coordinator of RCE Dubong, South Korea
The hosts Director Jeonghee Nam, as well as Programme Coordinator Unji Lee and Bomyung Seo, offered a very warm welcome and detailed information and tour of RCE Tongyeong Sejahtera Forest.
This event offered a valuable opportunity to build bridges and explore new collaborations and exchange.
RCE Tongyeong is an ESD-specialized education institute and a platform that promotes ESD and the RCE network in the Asia-Pacific region. Located by the ocean and near the ‘Sejahtera Forest,’ in a beautiful setting, this special education center works to promote ESD and collaborates with schools, local government, and civil organizations in the region. In doing so, they strengthen lifelong learning for ESD in Tongyeong and the surrounding area. For more information visit: https://rce.or.kr/eng/
RCE Tongyeong is part of the global network of Regional Centres of Expertise on ESD (RCEs) involving 190 RCES in different parts of the world all working to foster and implement ESD. For more information see: https://www.rcenetwork.org
