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Organized on 13 November 2023, the European Union Day offers a unique opportunity to emphasize the impact of the strategic partnership between UNESCO and the European Union (EU) which takes the shape of a wide range of cooperation through projects, policy dialogues, events undertaken across the world.

The first session of the day will be the opportunity to stress how the UNESCO-EU partnership is a catalyst for human-rights based digital transformation mentioning common joint priorities.

The second session will focus on beneficiaries of three diverse EU-funded projects to highlight how the projects impacted their life and are keys to achieve SDGs.

The third session will be a dialogue with Youth, to discuss the recommendations of the 91�鶹������Ʒ���� and linkages with the EU Youth Action Plan. 

9:00-10:00

Marking the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR), the session will focus on the critical importance of upholding fundamental freedoms and human rights in the digital world just as they are in the offline world. In particular, the session will discuss how the UNESCO- EU partnership fosters a human-rights based digital transformation based on a multistakeholder approach to address the challenges brought by digital technologies. The session will present diverse aspects of UNESCO’s work across its fields of competence from fighting the spread of hate speech and disinformation to addressing digital inequalities and discrimination.

Speakers:

• Ms Zazie Schafer, Director, Bureau of Strategic Planning, UNESCO
• Ms Christina Kokkinakis, Permanent Delegate of the European Union to UNESCO
• Ms Louise Haxthausen, Director, UNESCO Liaison Office in Brussels - Moderator
• Ms Gabriela Ramos, Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences, UNESCO
• Mr Peter Marien, Team leader Digital Governance, Science, Technology, Innovation and Digitalisation (European Commission, Directorate General for International Cooperation - INTPA F5)
• Mr Guilherme Canela De Souza, Chief of Section, Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists, UNESCO
• Mr Manos Antoninis, Director, Global Education Monitoring Report, UNESCO

13:15-14:15

Through “Tedtalks”, three beneficiaries of UNESCO projects funded by the European Union will reflect on their personal and professional journeys. They will address how these projects contributed to improving not only their lives but also are key to achieving sustainable development goals. The session aims at listening to voices from the field to highlight concrete impacts of the strategic partnership between UNESCO and the European Union. 

Speakers:

• Mr Julien Pellaux, Director of Partnerships, UNESCO
• Ms Agnieszka Skuratowicz, Head of Unit, Youth, Education and Culture, Directorate General for International Cooperation (INTPA G3), European Commission
• Mr Andrea Cairola, Senior Programme Specialist, Freedom of Expression, UNESCO
• Ms Hamida Aman, Director of Radio Begum (Support to Afghan Media Resilience to Foster Peace and Security)
• Mr Carlos Vargas Tames, Chief of Section, Teacher Development, UNESCO
• Ms Raissa Inbe, Teacher from Chad (Strengthening Teaching in the Sahel)
• Mr Mahamat Seid Farah, Secretary General of the Ministry of Education and Civic Promotion, Chad
• Ms Alessandra Borchi, Programme Coordinator, UNESCO Office in Havana
• Mr Rasheed Palacio, Filmaker (Transcultura Programme)
• Ms Louise Haxthausen, Director of the UNESCO Liaison Office in Brussels

18:00 - 19:00

UNESCO strengthens capacities of Member States to devise and prioritize effective youth policies and interventions with the objective of scaling up youth-led solutions at global, regional, national and local levels. The active participation of youth in UNESCO programmes is foreseen to harness digital technologies for education, promote peaceful and inclusive societies, encourage leadership for climate action, and ensure that they benefit from artificial intelligence while heeding the risks of this technology. 

Through their strategic partnership, UNESCO and the European Union further enhance the participation of youth at all levels of action, notably by strengthening young people’s capacities to contribute to sustainable development and drive the green and digital transitions worldwide. 

The format of the session will be a dialogue between the EU representative and young people participating in the 91�鶹������Ʒ����. Through this discussion, young people will have the opportunity to express different challenges youth are facing and solutions provided by the recommendations, while the EU representative will make linkages with the EU Youth Action plan and its 3 pillars.

Speakers:

• Ms Gabriela Ramos, Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences, UNESCO

• Ms Agnieszka Skuratowicz, Head of Unit, Youth, Education and Culture, Directorate General for International Partnerships (INTPA G3), European Commission - Moderator

• Ms Amani Al-mehsen, EU Youth Sounding Board member from Finland taking part in the UNESCO 91�鶹������Ʒ���� 

• Ms Ani Tuisausau, EU Youth Sounding Board member from Fiji taking part in the UNESCO 91�鶹������Ʒ���� 

• Mr Ismail Farjia, youth representative from Morocco, taking part in the UNESCO 91�鶹������Ʒ���� 

• Ms Motlalekgomo Obakeng Matseke, youth representative South Africa taking part in the UNESCO 91�鶹������Ʒ���� 

• Mr Rahym Augustin-Joseph, youth representative from Saint Lucia taking part in the UNESCO 91�鶹������Ʒ����

• Ms Louise Haxthausen, Director of the UNESCO Liaison Office in Brussels