UNESCO: Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) - "Towards achieving the SDGs"

With the establishment of the World Programme of Action " Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)" in Germany, the German UNESCO Commission created the basis for today's widely ramified network of diverse educational institutions. The aim is to support places of learning, networks and local authorities from all over Germany in developing new educational approaches and projects on sustainable development. The organisers describe ESD as follows:

"Education for sustainable development refers to a holistic concept that meets the global – (ecological, economic and social) challenges of our interconnected world. As an educational offensive, ESD aims to change the thinking and actions of every individual and thus transform society as a whole. ESD enables people to make informed and responsible decisions in terms of ecological integrity, economic viability and a society with equal opportunities. Education represents the key factor for sustainable development." (Source: bne-portal.de)

ESD is significantly oriented towards the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. Thus, ESD provides a successful framework for the long-standing efforts of the BELS in the area of the 17 SDGs. The implementation of the 17 SDGs within the faculty and the active contribution of the BELS to sustainable development were finally recognised in November 2019 by the German UNESCO Commission and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Since then, the BELS has been allowed to call itself a "Learning Site with Distinction" in the World Programme of Action "Education for Sustainable Development".

The BELS remains ambitious and continues its work in the field of the United Nations Global Agenda 2030 with a focus on "Education for Sustainable Development".