UNESCO schools in Luxembourg celebrate their anniversary
Kübra Arslaner Unsplash
On 28 November 2024, the 25th anniversary of the Luxembourg UNESCO Associated Schools Community was celebrated in Mondorf-les-Bains. The event was attended by the Grand Duchess, Minister of Education Claude Meisch and Minister of Culture Eric Thill. The academic session included presentations by students demonstrating the schools' commitment to UNESCO's core values: human rights, equality, sustainable development and cultural diversity.
Since its foundation in 1953, the UNESCO Associated Schools Project Network, which today brings together more than 12,000 schools from 182 countries, has been working to promote peace through education. These schools advocate for human rights and dignity, social progress and international solidarity, using educational projects as a tool to instil values in the younger generation.
The first Luxembourg school to become part of the network was Mondorf-les-Bains Primary School in 1999. Today, the community comprises 16 educational institutions, including four primary schools, 11 secondary schools and one international public school. They promote UNESCO's key priorities: preservation of cultural heritage, sustainable development, human rights and media literacy.
To participate in the network, a school must propose a significant project related to UNESCO's priority areas, such as civic education, digital literacy or cultural heritage awareness. Each year, participants in the network are required to develop and present their initiatives to the school community. Such projects not only deepen the understanding of values, but also bring schools together, for example through joint activities such as an educational fair or cultural festivals.
UNESCO Associated Schools play a key role in shaping a global consciousness among the younger generation. In the Luxembourg context, this emphasises its commitment to international standards of education, sustainability and cultural diversity. The 25th anniversary is not just a tribute to past achievements, but also an incentive to further develop educational initiatives in the spirit of UNESCO.
