Applications are open for the UNESCO-Japan Prize on Education for Sustainable Development 2025. The prize seeks to reward exceptional projects and programmes undertaken by institutions, organizations or other entities in the field of education for sustainable development (ESD).
Opportunity Details
The Prize and award winners recognize the role of education in connecting the social, economic, cultural and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. It was established by the Executive Board of UNESCO at its 195th session within the framework of the Global Action Programme (GAP) on ESD and officially announced at the UNESCO World Conference on ESD (10-12 November 2014, Aichi-Nagoya, Japan).
Who can be nominated?
Institutions, organizations or other entities engaged in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Nominations must focus on a specific ESD project or programme of the nominee, meeting the eligibility criteria.
Who can submit nominations?
Nominations can be submitted to the Director-General of UNESCO by Governments of Member States via their Permanent Delegation to UNESCO, and by Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) or foundations in official partnership with UNESCO. Each Permanent Delegation, NGO or foundation can make up to three nominations for any edition of the Prize. Self-nominations are not accepted.
Selection Criteria
The three Prize winners are selected by the Director-General of UNESCO on the basis of recommendations made by an international independent jury consisting of five experts.
The project/programme of the nominee are assessed by the Jury on the basis of the following criteria:
Transformation
The project/programme practices Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) as transformative education in support of sustainable development, , leading to individual and social change.
ESD empowers learners to transform themselves and the society they live in. The nominated project/programme should therefore enable learners to bring about changes with a view to building a more just, peaceful and sustainable world. This can mean, for example, taking action against climate change, changing one’s consumption patterns, developing social entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihoods, or supporting those struggling against poverty.
Integration
The project/programme addresses the three dimensions of sustainable development (society, economy, environment) in an integrated way.
Sustainable development calls for the integration of the social, economic and environmental dimensions of development. The nominated project/programme should be in line with this definition of sustainable development. It should address the three dimensions (society, economy, environment), and help learners understand the interdependence between them and act accordingly.
Innovation
The project/programme demonstrates an innovative approach to ESD.
Sustainable development requires going beyond ‘business as usual’ and ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking. The nominated project/programme should demonstrate an innovative approach to ESD, be it in the themes it covers, the methodology it employs, or the way the learning environment is designed. Reaching out to sectors beyond education and working with new partners can also be a sign of innovation.
In addition to these three criteria, the project/programme should:
1. Complete the online nomination form
The nomination form must be completed online in English or French via a dedicated platform (for nominating entities only - the fields of the nomination form are described in the explanatory note).
User guide for Member States: English - French
User guide for NGOs and foundations: English - French
2. Submit the online nomination form
Read the answers to frequently asked questions on the Prize. For more information, contact [email protected]
Apply for UNESCO-Japan Prize on Education for Sustainable Development