It’s SDG 4.7 Day!

UNESCO has designated 7 April as SDG 4.7 day – the 7^th day of the 4^th month!  So, what is it, and what’s it got to do with Global Action?

What is it?

If you’ve been to a Global Action Global Learning Workshop, you’ll have encountered SDG 4 – the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 for Quality Education.

Within each SDG, there are key targets – SDG4 has ten – and SDG 4.7 is all about education for sustainable development and global citizenship.

That includes:

“ … human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship, and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development”

What’s it got to do with Global Action?

A little wordy perhaps (trying to cover all the bases!) but this really is at the heart of what the team here at Global Action is working hard to facilitate for the students and teachers who travel with us.

Many of us at Global Action HQ have worked in development and/or education in locations around the globe. We all have a passion for travel, and how it can transform attitudes, our knowledge base, values, ability to empathise and gain perspective, let alone creating fantastic memories.

All our itineraries focus around different areas of the curriculum, which in turn link to education for sustainable development and global citizenship.  From beach cleans and turtle nest protection in Greece or Costa Rica, to helping install school drinking water systems in Nepal, or comparing coral reef health around Zanzibar Island, tree planting in Malaysian Borneo or meeting experts in UN agencies in Geneva – these are all experiences that embed learning around sustainable development and can inspire action, let alone career goals, as global citizens.

Why does it matter?

It matters because if we understand how our attitudes and actions can make a difference, good or bad, then we can make sure we make a positive contribution to life.  So next time you’re thinking about how on earth you’re going to have any impact, consider the value of getting outside the classroom, out of your comfort zone, and into the world to learn how you can make a difference.  One step closer to attainment of SDG 4.7 and the next generation coming up with the ideas that will make the world a place we all want to live.