Yogyakarta- Regional Center of Expertise of Yogyakarta (RCE-Yogyakarta) UGM in cooperation with Ministry of National Education and United Nations University holds Regional Centers Conference of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) about earth saving efforts through education in Asia-Pacific countries. The conference will be held from 12-15 January 2011 at UGM Graduate School and opened by Minister of Education, Prof. Dr. Mohammad Nuh.
The conference is attended by 200 participants, including 20 representatives from Asia-Pacific countries, such as Japan, Korea, India, Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia and Malaysia. The participants are government staff, lecturers, teachers, NGO’s activists, professionals, and graduate students from various regions in Indonesia.
Conference organizer chairman, Prof. Dr. Retno Sunarminingsih, M.Sc.,Apt., said that the conference will discuss about efforts to save the earth through educational activities starting from improving community’s awareness about sustainable development. Development and implementation of ESD program based on community is very necessary to be conducted. “It can be achieved through cooperation among educational institutions and community supported by related institutions and industries, for example, KKN PPM (UGM Community Empowerment Program Field Practice) in university,” Retno said in her press release on Tuesday (11/1).
Retno added that the conference also delivered about government’s policy and action programs which have been done by universities, schools, NGO, and community related to implementation of sustainable development.
Besides, there are 50 papers and posters on disaster risk reduction, climate change, renewable energy, green economic, peace, democracy, and cultural diversity, ecosystem and food security, health and clean water management, also education for sustainable development at schools.
In the end of the conference, Yogyakarta Declaration about Community based-ESD Action Plan will be delivered. Through this declaration, it is expected that Community based-ESD practices can be spread out, particularly in Indonesia and Asia Pacific. “We hope action programs of earth saving through Community based-ESD can be spread out and sustainable,” Retno said.
The conference will be attended by Indonesian Minister of Environment, Prof. Gusti Mohammad Hatta, Deputy Minister of Education, Prof. Dr. Fasli Jalal, UNU-IAS representative, Prof Dr. Mario Tabuccanon, and Director of UNESCO Jakarta, Prof. Hubert Gijzen.