Description and Mandate of the Chair

“Promote the building of peace in the world and intercultural dialogue through educating new teachers and other academics who have a deep awareness of questions related to values, dialogue and human rights”

The UNESCO Chair works along the lines of the “Education 2030 Incheon Declaration”, which is part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The critical important Five Ps: People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace and Partnership are central to the Chair’s action: calling people to work and co-operate together, we can build a planet where prosperity is democratically divided, peace is part of mutual understanding, and respect and partnership are based on respecting human rights and an understanding of the main ideas of sustainable development.

The Chair promotes lifelong learning in educating teachers in the field of values, dialogue and human rights. All planned activities in this project fosters creativity and knowledge and increase multiliteracy. Furthermore, the activities develop future teachers’ skills, values and attitudes that enable them to lead healthy and fulfilled lives. The aim is to educate the next generation so that they feel themselves to be global citizens.  The project builds and fosters education facilities that are learner- and gender-sensitive and creates safe, non-violent and effective learning environments for all.

The specific focus of the planned project are values, dialogue and human rights in education. These components make ethical principles and values visible. Perspective dialogue between different people is one of the key ways to build societies which are safe and non-violent environments. In addition to human rights and understanding these rights there is the fundamental question of fulfilling the ideas and principles presented in the “Education 2030 Incheon Declaration”.

The project also fully fits the UNESCO’s SDG for Social and Human Sciences in many ways. Developing intercultural competences is a vital task of the Chair in Values, Dialogue and Human Rights in Education.

The Chair encourages dialogue and cooperation, strengthened cultural literacy, and shows how new understandings between people can be built. This understanding will be based on e.g. shared values, mutual understanding and respect. The Chair promotes a culture of peace by teaching and researching intercultural and worldview dialogue and encountering young people and students to build communities, which share values and practices of mutual respect and tolerance, and seek peace, non-violence and reconciliation in society.  The Chair also actively encourages an understanding of human rights and the culture of human rights among young university students.

Source: Website of the Chair.

(UNESCO No. 2018FI1255)
(Ver. PBe 03-2023)