This publication is UNESCO’s first extensive document on GCE. It emerged as a result of widespread research and consultations with stakeholders from all over the world. It draws extensively on the foundational work of two key UNESCO events: the Technical Consultation on Global Citizenship Education (Seoul, September 2013) and the first UNESCO Forum on Global Citizenship Education (Bangkok, December 2013).
The resource contains an overview of how GCE is conceptualized within the broad UNESCO framework, outlining the main characteristics and goals of GCE, examples from GCE practice across the world, including different understandings of GCE and sketching some of existing tensions in the field and its inherent paradoxes. The UNESCO framework presents a global reference point for GCE in terms of policy, especially in relation to the inclusion of GCE (or a specific understanding of GCE) within the SDGs. Anyone working on implementing Agenda 2030 (especially in policy areas) will likely encounter UNESCO- based GCE frameworks.
UNESCO documents are also usually cited as references for development of national strategic documents, either in relation to GCE, or to other areas of (formal) education where GCE-infused topics and themes may emerge. In particular UNESCO references are relevant for subject areas of education for human rights, inter-cultural education, peace education and education for prevention of conflict. Although advocating in general for universal(ist) values and rights, UNESCOs documents do contain also reference to multiple understanding of GCE that emerge from different socio-cultural backgrounds.