The Transformative Power of Education
In tandem with the high-level week at the United Nations came the Transforming Education Summit. Though not explicitly related to the crises and discussions of world leaders, it was immediately clear that education is related indirectly to nearly all facets of human living—its problems and their solutions.
Three full days of talks, insights, demands and sharing of the transformative approaches already in process around the world, began with a youth-led day of mobilization on Friday Sept. 16th. An international body of students organized and moderated the event. The utter importance of education was well recognized, and these youth came with a demand: Let Us Learn.
The concept of education has proven to be a difficult one, tied as it is to cultural norms, poverty and the availability of resources. But with the pandemic came an acceptance of technology as a method of delivering education, which meant that the only thing standing between an education and poorer students around the globe was a laptop and a wi-fi connection.
This issue is beginning to be addressed by organizations which are motivated by the spirit of goodwill and informed by the very basic truth that all human beings are equal and should be given the means to tap their potential. Laptops have been arriving in remote villages in many developing countries, and the infrastructure to support their use, has been, or is being installed.
One not-so-surprising element of the summit was the tie between education and response to the climate crisis. Speech after speech echoed the idea that effective climate action and education are irrevocably bound together. The crisis of climate will not be solved without educating the youth who can then join forces with the generation that first initiated the transition to these new ways of thinking and living.
If we see our world in terms of an interlocking system of causes and effects which result in predictable events, we can recognize the relationship between education and other current global problems. Do we fully appreciate the relationship between education and crime? What about education and the human need to connect, or education and mental health?
With global disparities of resources, we can’t help but acknowledge the very significant connection between education and access to resources. Both of these world issues will be addressed in the immediate future either by those who have been exposed to an environment of willing exploration, or conversely, by those who have been encouraged to accept and imitate the spinning emotions of a material world.
Then, there’s this: “Getting an Education” is a broad term. What does it really mean? For most of the planet it used to be pretty basic – reading, writing and math. Then it evolved as the human population evolved and became STEM: science, technology, engineering and math. This was recently replaced by adding an A to STEM – STEAM – adding the power of Art to the list of must-have components to support healthy, individual (and group) evolution.
But looked at more deeply, “getting an education” means being exposed to the journey of the human mind as it discovers the million-and-one truths of our world and the universe, and learns how to live in healthy, creative abundance with them. The Transforming Education Summit had this goal at heart. It was not stated in exactly those words, but the deeply human desire to be on a youthful journey of exploration was embedded in its very fabric.
We owe this journey to the youth. We owe this journey to the elders. We owe this journey to the regeneration and redemption of the planet.
Please find a summary of the UN Transforming Education Summit outcomes here.
Read on the Main dynamics active in the UN Transforming Education Summit here.
Read on 2022 UN Transforming Education Summit - Solutions Day Events here.
Read further on Education in the New Age here.