Commonwealth Lecture focuses on combating violent extremism through education

26 February 2016
News

“Education is the way to disarm the processes that may lead to violent extremism.” - Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO.

“Education is the way to disarm the processes that may lead to violent extremism.” This was the message that echoed across the QEII Centre in London yesterday evening as UNESCO’s Director-General Irina Bokova delivered the 2016 Commonwealth Lecture to an audience of diplomats, academics and civil society representatives.

“Education cannot wait until a crisis is over, until disaster has struck, until the dust settles,” Mrs Bokova declared. She warned that the world risked losing a “generation to despair, poverty and flight”. The Bulgarian-born campaigner for quality education for all, was addressing the issue of Educating for Inclusion, Dialogue and Peace, reflecting this year’s Commonwealth Theme ‘An Inclusive Commonwealth’.

 
 
 

Addressing the “alarmingly strong” “siren call” of terrorism and extremism, she pointed to values-focused education as one of the most powerful solutions.

“No one is born a violent extremist, young people learn to hate – we must teach them peace. I see this as a new global struggle for hearts and minds.”

Outlining UNESCO’s education initiatives she called for education to “be a priority from the top”. She said: “In disaster risk reduction, in humanitarian action, in peacebuilding – because there is no stronger foundation for reconstruction and recovery, for lasting peace. This is a human rights imperative. It is a development imperative. It is a security imperative.”

Her comments follow the UK Government’s £5 million pledge to the Commonwealth for a counter-extremism unit.

Speaking at the Lecture, Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma outlined plans to work with UNESCO to help stem the rising tide of violent extremism.

 
 
 
  

“Safety and security are important conditions for the development of strong, cohesive, and stable communities, which is why Commonwealth leaders made provision at the meeting in Malta last November for the establishment of a Commonwealth Countering Violent Extremism Unit.

“This Unit will strengthen the Commonwealth’s national, regional and global approaches to prevent violent extremism and promote peaceful societies through civil society networks, education, and empowering young people as positive actors. The Commonwealth very much looks forward to partnering with UNESCO in this area.”

Democratic and human rights education expert Professor Hugh Starkey, who attended the lecture, spoke about the importance of reminding governments about the consensus on human rights. He said: “It’s really wonderful that the Director-General of UNESCO comes to London and reminds us of the importance of values in education and that human rights education can be a means of combating violent extremism.”  

Lord John Alderdice, Director of the Centre for Resolution of Intractable Conflict at Oxford University, who chaired the lecture, described it as “very rich and thoughtful”.

He said: “Importantly, Irina highlighted that education can sometimes be too instrumental, when in fact values are hugely important in education.

“Education for global citizenship, at a time when people are turning into themselves, into their own religious groups and their own community, instead of looking out to the wider world. She is saying our young people have to be educated not just in their minds (but also) in their hearts.”

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