25 March 2012: The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) organized a panel on behalf of the Interagency Committee for the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), which highlighted the role ESD plays in empowering citizens to achieve the transition towards more sustainable and equitable societies.

The panel, which brought together approximately 70 participants, was held during the third Intersessional Meeting in preparation for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20). Panellists underscored the need to integrate ESD into the Rio+20 Conference and its outcomes, in order to foster the transition towards green societies. They presented examples of ESD initiatives, highlighting their contributions to poverty eradication and the shift towards green economies.

The event, which was funded by the Governments of Japan and Sweden, was moderated by Paolo Soprano, Vice-Chair of the Bureau for the Rio+20 Preparatory Process. [UNESCO Press Release]