BANGKOK, Thailand – UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany recently took part in the first Asia-Pacific Youth Dialogue on the future of education and learning beyond 2030, where students and youth representatives from across the region shared priorities for the next phase of global education development. The event, held at Chulalongkorn University, was organized by UNESCO’s Regional Office in Bangkok in coordination with UN agencies in Asia and the Pacific.
Participants from Thailand, the Philippines, India, Nepal, and Australia, along with members of the SDG4 Youth and Student Network joining online, discussed key issues shaping education, including artificial intelligence, mental health, and the need to prepare for rapid global change. Representatives from UNESCAP, UNICEF, and the UN Development Coordination Office also attended. El-Enany, on his first official visit to Thailand since taking office in November 2025, underlined the role of young people in shaping future education systems.
The dialogue is set to contribute to a global process to develop a new education framework beyond the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals timeline, with outcomes feeding into future discussions, including the Global Education Meeting in 2027. During the visit, UNESCO and Thailand’s Equitable Education Fund agreed to extend their partnership to support disadvantaged learners, with attention on flexible learning pathways and reducing school dropout rates across ASEAN.
Youth participants also shared proposals for curriculum reform and greater involvement in decision-making, along with experiences showing how flexible learning systems can help individuals return to education. (NNT)
