Youth under 30 make up over half the world鈥檚 population and drive innovation and social change, yet face poverty, inequality and limited access to education and decent work. Their engagement is essential to shape modern education amid rapid technological change. Aligned with the youth must be co鈥慶reators of education at all levels. The Youth highlights their leadership, and the 2026 International Day of Education (24 January) celebrates their role.
UNESCO
The forests around Mount Kanchenjunga in Nepal boast rich biodiversity, including endangered species like the snow leopard and red panda. Indigenous communities have traditionally used their knowledge for conservation, but challenges such as climate change, poaching, and hydropower projects are threatening this balance. Local resident Purna Kumar Limbu notes that frequent explosives from these projects are driving wildlife away. In response, the initiative, launched in 2025, aims to enhance global recognition of the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area and reinforce its importance to the local community.
鲍狈贰厂颁翱鈥檚 program in Oaxaca seeks to integrate living heritage into urban planning and responsible tourism to protect artisans鈥 livelihoods, community spaces, and the transmission of cultural knowledge.
have documented the planet鈥檚 largest animal migration at the southern tip of Africa, a vital natural phenomenon now threatened by climate change and industrial drilling.
Everyday life in Uzbekistan鈥檚 Pskem Valley is shaped by constant exposure to natural hazards, including landslides and mudflows. Local communities have long relied on local knowledge to live alongside natural hazards. Their stories show how this experience, combined with the scientific and technical support of a project, is strengthening preparedness and resilience to landslides and mudflows.
As generative AI advances, women journalists face growing threats including deepfakes, harassment, surveillance, and gendered disinformation. UNESCO is leading a global campaign with major media to expose Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV), which aims to silence and discredit women online and offline. Research shows , with many experiencing real-world violence as a result. AI has intensified these attacks, making abuse faster and harder to control. Marking the , UNESCO calls for stronger protection, accountability, and action to defend women journalists and freedom of expression worldwide.
The reveals a 10% global decline in freedom of expression since 2012, driven by self-censorship, journalist attacks, economic pressures, and threats to democracy.
Once a symbol of resilience in precolonial and wartime Paraguay, the Poncho Para鈥櫭 de 60 Listas now relies on UNESCO-backed support to overcome dwindling materials and aging craftsmanship as communities work to keep its ancestral weaving traditions alive.
Global ocean observations, coordinated by 鲍狈贰厂颁翱鈥檚 GOOS and contributed to by over 80 countries, provide to changes in the marine environment and climate impacts.
鈥溾 showcases how architecture bridges cultures, sustainability, and heritage at UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Around the globe, countless children and adolescents grapple with the impacts of school violence and bullying, including the insidious threat of cyberbullying, harming their health and learning. UNESCO marks the first Thursday of November as the . This year鈥檚 theme, 鈥淪creen smart: Learning to be safe in the digital era,鈥 highlights online risks, especially for girls, minorities, and migrants. With only 16% of countries having laws to prevent cyberbullying, education must ensure safety both in classrooms and online.
鲍狈贰厂颁翱鈥檚 project is reshaping global understanding by telling the continent鈥檚 story from an African perspective and bringing it into .
UNESCO and Super Sema have launched 鈥淒igital Hero,鈥 a fun, music-driven campaign for Global Media and Information Literacy Week that empowers children to stay safe, think critically, and make smart choices.
Meet Dr. Rosa V谩squez Espinoza and Dr. Mounia Laassiri, young scientists breaking barriers in STEM and inspiring global gender equality through their .
reimagines rural secondary education in Peru, helping adolescents like Ana铆s complete their studies, build socioemotional skills, and build brighter futures.
