Global policymakers have long championed education’s role in promoting peace and international co-operation. What is its role in an increasingly divided world?
Today, Global Citizenship Education – a broad curriculum of study emphasizing common humanity, shared values, and international cooperation – is taught in schools worldwide. The subject is a cornerstone of the UN’s global education strategy, aimed at preparing learners to live in an ever more interconnected and interdependent world. It is also a priority for many civil society groups and funders working on education, including the Varkey Foundation.
But today the world is more divided than it has been in decades. Governments globally are struggling to agree on how to address pressing issues, from the growing threat of international armed conflict to climate change. Many States are increasingly emphasizing national self-interest over global values and international cooperation. How should the education sector respond?
This session at the Learning Planet Festival 2026 will explore education’s role in building meaningful dialogue and peaceful cooperation in an increasingly uncertain world, drawing on the views of experts who have worked on the issue for many years.
