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To celebrate the 2024 World Philosophy Day, UNESCO brought thought leaders, Member States representatives, youth and educators to explore philosophy’s transformative potential in addressing global challenges.

In her address, Amb. Simona-Mirela Miculescu, President of the 42^nd General Conference of UNESCO, emphasized the vital role of philosophy in fostering critical reflection and promoting global solidarity. “Philosophy compels us to ask urgent questions: Why do the divides that fracture our humanity exist? What kind of world are we building? Who is left behind?” she stated.

Highlighting the universal nature of the challenges we face, she urged Member States to move beyond rhetoric, using philosophy to critically examine systems of exclusion and inequality, and to envision a more equitable future.

She called for integrating these principles into policies, education systems, and international cooperation.

Recalling the UNESCO Recommendation on Education for Peace, Human Rights and Sustainable Development, adopted by the General Conference during her  presidency in 2023, she highlighted the importance of teaching philosophy to the younger generation. Philosophy, she argued, cultivates critical thinkers and empathetic leaders capable of addressing complex ethical and moral questions. She also stressed the need to equip philosophy educators with the tools to inspire and guide students effectively.

The event also recalled UNESCO’s broader mission, rooted in the principles of its Constitution, which underlines that the Organization was built on the firm belief of its Member States in the ‘unrestricted pursuit of truth, and in the free exchange of ideas and knowledge – for the purpose of mutual understanding and truer and more perfect knowledge of each other’s lives’ for peace, trust, and mutual understanding’.

It also echoed lessons from the celebration of the centenary of the International Institute of Intellectual Cooperation—UNESCO’s precursor—highlighting the significance of ethical reflection and interdisciplinary dialogue in solving humanity’s most pressing concerns.

By celebrating World Philosophy Day, UNESCO reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that inclusivity and dialogue remain at the heart of intellectual cooperation. The President concluded with a powerful message:

The event benefitted from powerful insights from renowned philosophers and thinkers including Hartmut Rosa, who explained the concept of ‘social energy’ and Charlotte Casiraghi who shared her vision regarding the importance of teaching philosophy to young children starting at an early age.