UNESCO, media promote sustainable development in Nambia

Last week 20 journalists based in Namibia followed a workshop on education for sustainable development, organised by UNESCO's Windhoek office. The workshop took place at the Habitat Research and Development Centre (HRDC) in Katutura, Windhoek.

The event aimed to achieve the following objectives:

• to find out and overcome challenges that journalists face in their efforts to report on sustainable development issues;
  
• to provide media practitioners with the content that highlights priority issues for sustainable development; and
  
• to identify priority actions to strengthen media as partners in ESD and to improve coverage of ESD in Namibia.

In 2002 the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution establishing the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development and declared UNESCO as the lead agency to promote the initiative. This UN initiative seeks to create partnerships between governments, institutions, organisations, the civil society, the private sector and media to translate ESD concepts into goals and actions.

Empowering, educating the public

Education for sustainable development is a dynamic concept that seeks to empower people of all ages to assume responsibility for creating and enjoying a sustainable future. Media can play a major role in educating the public on sustainable development. However, this can only be facilitated through regular training of journalists on how to take up their role as partners in promoting ESD via the media.

Under this ESD initiative, UNESCO has a dual role to play: first, as the lead agency to promote ESD during the decade; and second, as a substantive implementer of ESD. UNESCO is, therefore, providing professional and technical support to its Member States, developing sample curricula and training materials, and disseminating innovative ESD policies, programmes and practices.