UNESCO launches a free on-linecourse to empower young people as agents of change

The COVID-19 pandemic has confirmed the irreversible and growing interconnectedness of the world. With it, the negative impacts of different global threats such as inequality, discrimination, human rights violations, social gaps, among others, have also increased. How can we face this adverse scenario in the 21st century? Young people have a decisive role to play in this process, with the ambition of reshaping social justice, equity and inclusion, in pursuit of sustainable development.

Faced with this challenge, UNESCO launches a free online course “Education for Global Citizenship: Youth, Human Rights and Participation in Latin America and the Caribbean”Registration is open until March 17, 2021. The Spanish language course is aimed at young people all over the world working as social leaders, policy makers, researchers, activists and journalists.   Over four weeks, and based on a theoretical and practical approach, the course will reflect upon the most urgent global challenges, identifying successful youth strategies and practices to transform communities and regions into peaceful, tolerant, safe and sustainable environments, based on the promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The course is supported by the Asia-Pacific Centre of Education for International Understanding (APCEIU), as well as members of the Regional Network on Global Citizenship Education and the Regional Thematic Coalition on Governance and Institutions, established within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Regional Group for Latin America and the Caribbean (UNSDG-LAC), composed of the following agencies: ECLAC, FAO, ILO, IOM, OHCHR, UNDCO, UNDP, UN DAPCP, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNODC, UNOPS and UN Women.

The course will include the participation of leading experts and specialists in the region, fostering alliances that bring together knowledge, identities, histories and interests, in a commitment to training for collaborative and supportive leadership.

Certification and diploma details

The Miríadax platform awards two types of distinctions. The first is a Diploma of Participation: “Education for Global Citizenship: Youth, Human Rights and Participation in Latin America and the Caribbean”. It is awarded to those participants who have passed at least an average of 75% of the course modules. This category recognises the student’s participation in this training and the certificate can be downloaded as a diploma in PDF format.

The second recognition is a Certificate of Completion: “Education for Global Citizenship: Youth, Human Rights and Participation in Latin America and the Caribbean”. It is awarded by the Miríadax platform to those enrolled participants who request it and who have managed to pass 100% of the course modules, with their compulsory activities. This certification is optional and has a cost of 40 € (taxes included). This cost is not related to UNESCO, but exclusively to the digital platform that allows the course to be carried out.