In a collective effort to advance sustainable development through education, education leaders and key stakeholders from across the Arab states concluded in Beirut Wednesday the ESD-NET Arab Region 2025 Regional Workshop.
The two-day high-level strategic meeting aimed to accelerate the integration of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) into national education systems and to strengthen regional collaboration to drive progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
Hosted by the Unesco Regional Office in Beirut, in partnership with the Unesco Regional Office in Doha, the workshop serves as a key milestone in supporting Arab member states to operationalise the ESD-NET Global Network framework. It focuses on confirming the ESD-NET Terms of Reference, finalising the 2026–2027 Regional Roadmap, and aligning collective efforts to mainstream sustainability within education systems in the region.
"This workshop is a new beginning towards a green and sustainable Arab education. Unesco, through its offices in Beirut, Doha, and its headquarters in Paris, is fully committed to supporting countries in this journey — strengthening education systems, empowering teachers, developing curricula, and building strong partnerships with communities and the private sector," said Maysoun Chehab, officer in charge of the Unesco Regional Office in Beirut.
This gathering builds on the momentum generated by the 2025 ESD-Arab NET webinar series, which mobilised governments, civil society, the private sector and academic institutions to strengthen the ESD ecosystem in the Arab region. A key highlight of the workshop was the official launch of the Arabic language versions of the Greening Education Partnership’s resources, including the Green Schools Quality Standard and the Greening Curriculum Guidance.
“These important resources will support countries in transforming learning environments and curricula to be more climate-responsive and action-oriented," said Salah Khaled, director of the Unesco Regional Office for the Gulf states and Yemen.
