The Ministry of Education (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Kim Sang-kon), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Kyung Hwa) and the Asia-Pacific Centre of Education for International Understanding under the auspices of UNESCO (Director Chung Utak) held the "3rd International Conference on Global Citizenship Education" on 5th and 6th September 2018.

This Conference, which started in 2016 and is becoming a renowned international conference, is a forum to discuss various action plans for fostering global citizens that understand and practice universal values like peace, human rights and cultural diversity.

The theme of this year's conference is "GCED in Every Corner of the World: Local-Contextualization of GCED". Around 600 educational experts, related persons from international organizations and civil society have participated and discussed this year's subject.

(1st GCED: From Commitment to Action)

(2nd GCED: In Pursuit of GCED in a challeging Environment)

In the presence of Ban Ki-moon, former Secretary General of the United Nations, Vice Minister of Education Park Chunran stressed the importance of global citizenship awareness and the necessity of global citizenship education in her welcoming speech on the first day.

In a keynote speech, Presidential Special Advisor on Reunification, Diplomacy and National Security Affairs Moon Chung In said, "The changing South-North relations through the Panmunjom Declaration have implanted peace in the minds of young Koreans", and emphasized the importance of global citizenship education for the settlement of peace in Korea.

In a special session related to creating an atmosphere of reconciliation and cooperation between the south and the north, Head of Kyonggido Local Education Office Lee Jae Jung asserted that the peace and unification on the Korean Peninsula is a calling of our time and an urgent challenge for the prosperity and development of Korea.

In the afternoon, experts from various countries shared and discussed cases of applying citizenship education and strengthening the competency of teachers and developing curricula etc. Also the education theatre association has played a piece of theatre about global citizenship.

The second day began with a congratulatory message of the Minister of Education of the Phillippines. After the speech followed a talk concert about global citizenship education and how it can be expanded further.

The Conference was wrapped up by exchanging views on localization strategies of global citizenship education, utilizing information and communication technologies, comics and theatre, summed up by expressing commitments to promoting global citizenship further in the future.

Vice Minister of Education Park Chunran said in her commencement speech, "Global citizenship education is essential for peace, harmony and sustainable development of the world. Through this Conference, experts from all over the world are able to share various know-hows and ideas about global citizenship education."

*unofficial translation