We are what we teach
The notion that it takes a village to raise a child , as the old African proverb goes , has never been more germane than it is today . With a global community increasingly prescient about the need to join forces to ensure a better future for today ’ s children , there is a strong awareness that the Global Agenda ’ s
17 Sustainable Development Goals are applicable equally everywhere , and that cooperation is needed to achieve them .
While the first day ’ s sessions joined all participants for wide-ranging panels on SDG linkages and various aspects of strengthening rule of law through education , the second day was dedicated to numerous breakout sessions , allowing for more in-depth discussions with smaller groups on issues relating to the primary , secondary and tertiary levels . Participants were brought back together on the third and final day for interesting and vigorous interactive discussions , and a very convivial concluding session which looked forward to E4J ’ s next steps .
“ I come away from these past three days with hope that we will continue to reach people in the way they want to be reached , which is the reason why our education content is accessible and relevant ,” said Marco Teixeira , Senior Programme Officer of the
Global Programme for the Implementation of the Doha Declaration , of which E4J is a component . “ We invite everyone to be part of our big educational family and to
register on our website ,” he added , “ because the potential of E4J to foster positive change is immense .”
Judging from the responses and engagement of the participants , it is evident that E4J has already left a clear footprint on the global education trail . For the
tertiary level , the shared expertise of more than 600 academics and countless UNODC experts in crime prevention and criminal justice has resulted in an extensive and impressive portfolio of E4J educational material . With more than 5,000 pages which lecturers around the world can consult online , print and easily integrate into their courses ( in their entirety or selectively ), the tertiary level ’ s series of modules covers the top ten most pressing global issues and remains a unique and progressive resource .
For the
secondary level , E4J has created the only resource guide to allow Model United Nations ( MUN ) student conferences to incorporate rule of law and other
UNODC mandate issues into their games . Working with non-profit organizations , it has also developed a number of games ( both board games and electronic games ) and has partnered with renowned corporations and civil society organizations to offer exciting hackathons to youngsters around the world .
E4J and UNESCO , under their joint
Global Citizenship Education programme , have also developed two handbooks for primary and for secondary school teachers , guiding them in their mission to empower students and build their awareness on rights , justice and the rule of law .
For the
primary level , where the promotion of a culture of lawfulness begins , E4J helps teachers address rule of law issues in the classroom with – amongst others – the inimitable Zorbs cartoons , the alien characters who teach children valuable lessons in acting for the good of others , and the Chuka video game , the courageous girl who teaches children how to break the silence and speak out about gender-based violence .
The expert feedback of professionals in the field has always been welcomed and highly valued by E4J , but there is no doubt that children ’ s contributions often have a deeper impact , even when we have become accustomed to seeing passionate young people putting adults under the spotlight , defying them to do what it takes to remedy the ills which fester around the world . To give a voice to both the educators and the students , E4J thus invited several youngsters ( winners of various E4J competitions ) to the conference to share their perspectives and visions on rule of law matters , through word , song and art . While their collective talent delighted everyone , it was probably 11-year old Naomi Oloyode , the youngest , who left the strongest impression as she confidently and articulately appealed to the more than 350 conference delegates : “ The future of children is in the hands of parents , leaders and policymakers . I plead with you to join hands together to make our world a better , safer and more inclusive space .”
The standing ovation for Naomi was perhaps the most discernible sign of commitment to this challenging undertaking , but the engaged deliberations over three days demonstrated just as firmly a profound conviction that the promotion of rule of law in all its facets is a fundamental part of education . It is a vocation to which Education for Justice is deeply committed , as it works to foster global citizens with a solid moral and ethical compass .
28 INSPIRAS