IDEA addresses Intergovernmental Review at the UN HLPF

On Thursday, 12 July, IDEA Director, Frank Geary, addressed the UN High-level Political Forum review of Goal 12, on behalf of the Education and Academic Stakeholder Group. Speaking at the summit in the UN Headquarters in New York, he highlighted that SDG 12.8.1 requires all UN Member States to mainstream Global Citizenship Education and Education for Sustainable Development.

The statement from the group read:

'Sustainable consumption and production requires transformative change to our societies and economies. To achieve this, we need education for transformative change. We need education that enables all people to participate meaningfully, to critically engage in sustainable development, and to imagine and create new futures.

This is a central part of SDG 12. And strongly links to SDG 4, 16, 17 and all Goals. SDG 12 requires Member States to mainstream Global Citizenship Education and Education for Sustainable Development.

Not enough is being done to achieve this. It is essential that Global Citizenship Education and Education for Sustainable Development are mainstreamed across formal, non-formal and informal education. This requires clear national policies, prioritisation of education and participation in SDG National Implementation Plans, financing, and involvement of civil society, learners and educators.

We want to know how Member States will act on this, in particular if and how Member States have integrated Global Citizenship Education and Education for Sustainable Development into their SDG National Implementation?

We urge Member States to report on education in your VNRs.

Education is the golden thread that runs through all the Sustainable Development Goals.

To achieve the transformative agenda of the Goals, we must prioritise education.'

About the HLPF

The UN High-level Political Forum (HLPF) plays a key role in the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the global level. It takes place annually and features inputs from national governments, intergovernmental bodies, relevant UN agencies, civil society and other stakeholders. The summit includes intergovernmental meetings along with side events for civil society organisations. CSO’s also have the opportunity to input into the intergovernmental meetings and outline what steps they feel governments need to take to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

May 2, 2025
Dates: Thursday 10 July,10.00am-6.00pm and Friday 11 July, 10.00am-3.00pm Location: An Tairseach, Wicklow IDEA is thrilled to open applications for our second iteration of the IDEA's Lab. In this first of its kind residential Lab, we will create space where members can bring their ideas for projects and try out new planning and design methods. Participants will have the opportunity to work on an idea from scratch to (almost) finish with the support of expert trainers and learn through group exchange in a welcoming and inspiring setting. Participants will come out of the training with: An early project design proofed, tested and built through group feedback, iteration, trialling and support. New approaches in designing innovative projects they can apply to their workplace Headspace and time to work on the design of an innovative project A chance to actively learn through group exchange and strengthen the sense of an innovative community of practice in Ireland How? Please email anya@ideaonline.ie to request an application form. Requesting an application form does not commit you to applying. The deadline for returning application form (including organisational sign off letter) is Friday 23 May, midnight . You will find further details in the application form. Participants must register as a team of 2min.- 4 max. Participants without a team member will be asked to pair up with other individual participants or find a partner outside their organisation. Cost : This training is funded by Irish Aid at the Department of Foreign Affairs and offered at a reduced rate. This training is only available to IDEA members. Non-IDEA members can participant as part of an IDEA member team. Fees for members of IDEA is €50  Irish Aid is the Government’s overseas development programme which supports partners working in some of the world’s poorest countries. Irish Aid also supports global citizenship education in Ireland to encourage learning and public engagement with global issues the ideas, opinions and comments expressed in this training are entirely the responsibility of its author(s) and do not necessarily represent or reflect DFA policy. Timeline: Applications open: 07 May Applications close: 23 May, midnight Preparatory session with trainer (30min, online): Mid June Lab arrival: Where possible we advise arrival on Wednesday 09 July in the evening. Accommodation and food will be provided from 09 July, 5.00pm - 11 July, 3.00pm Lab: 10 July,10.00am-6.00pm. 11 July, 10.00am-3.00pm Please don’t hesitate to get in touch at anya@ideaonline.ie if any of the above pose a barrier to your participation, or if you have any other questions.
April 29, 2025
Wednesday 18 June, 10.00am - 4.00pm Wynn’s Hotel, Abbey Street Lower, Dublin 1
April 7, 2025
Last week, IDEA hosted the second webinar from our 2025 series, ‘Exploring Contemporary Crises and Issues through Global Citizenship Education, ' focusing on Palestine. If you missed out, you can watch the full video below!