Republic of Korea to Host the 2024 UNESCO International Forum on the Futures of Education

Governor of the Gyeonggido Office of Education Tae-Hee Yim is giving an opening speech (Image: Korean National Commission for UNESCO)

The Korean National Commission for UNESCO ( has announced that Korea will host the UNESCO International Forum on the Futures of Education ( taking place from December 2 to 4 at the Suwon Convention Center in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province.

The forum will bring together participants from around the world to discuss the creation of sustainable and inclusive education systems to address the challenges of an ever-changing world increasingly influenced by AI, the climate crisis, and social inequality. Drawing on UNESCO’s 2021 report on the Futures of Education ( the forum will explore the possibility of social transformation through educational innovation and examine specific policy measures under the overarching theme, “A New Social Contract for Education for the Future.”

Over 1,800 participants are expected to attend, including former Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde, who served as Chairperson of the UNESCO International Commission on the Future of Education, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Education Stefania Giannini, along with ministers and senior officials from UNESCO member states, experts, and educators. They will envision the future of education, and the Korean education system. All sessions will be live-streamed.

The first day, December 2, will center on the need for a new social contract for education, with discussion of global education challenges and the sharing of experiences by high-level policy makers from around the world. In a special session, the Korean Ministry of Education will showcase South Korea’s policies for education transformation and the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education will share details of Gyeonggi Province’s blueprint for future education.

On December 3, forum participants will visit schools and educational institutions in Gyeonggi Province to explore examples of digital learning and sustainable education. Additionally, a session on “Education Transformation as a Common Good” will explore the lifelong right to education and the public nature of education. The final day of the forum will feature discussions with young participants on the future of education and the launch of “UNESCO’s Global Observatory for the Futures of Education.”

A representative of the Korean National Commission for UNESCO noted that the commission hopes this forum will be a catalyst for establishing an international cooperative framework for sharing policies and research on educational transformation, while adding that education will play a crucial role in tackling the challenges facing modern society, including the climate crisis and social inequality.

Live Streaming of the UNESCO International Forum on the Futures of Education

Korean YouTube Streaming Channel

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