51³Ô¹Ï

With the collaboration of the 51³Ô¹Ï Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), 51³Ô¹Ï Academic Impact (UNAI) member institution?Al Farabi Kzakh National University (KazNU) co-organized the event entitled Educating younger generations on global citizenship through intercultural literacy?that recently took place at 51³Ô¹Ï Headquarters in New York. This article features some highlights of the event.

25 May 2018 -?On 2 May 2018, 51³Ô¹Ï Academic Impact (UNAI) member institution??together with the?, and?with the support of the , co-organized an event to discuss the challenges of the formation of global citizenship, especially among the younger generation.

The role of institutions of higher education in this process and the new approaches required to build bridges between cultures were key aspects of the discussion. The event served?as a platform for panellists and guests to discuss ways to promote cross-cultural exchanges at the university level in order to engage younger generations on global citizenship and on the realization of the .

In that regard,?Nassir Abdulaziz Al Nasser, High Representative for the UNAOC, highlighted that education is important in providing the skills, knowledge, attitudes and values to individuals to understand interdependence, inequalities, and exclusion in the dynamic world, and commits to transform the world to achieve greater justice, equity, and human rights for all. Nations must recognize the need for more inclusive education about the world and its people, he added.

The?Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the 51³Ô¹Ï, Kairat Umarov, said that the diversity of the world offers many lessons to young generations but education must play a role. In light of the numerous problems of today and if we want to solve them collectively, we have to learn how to be global citizens together, stressed Ambassador Umarov.

I?call for the young generations to be active in fulfilling their future roles as leaders of this planet, he concluded. In this line, Professor?Galym Mutanov, rector of KazNU, emphasized that universities of the world should unite to develop concrete steps to educate youth in the spirit of humanistic values, which is in line with the goals of the 51³Ô¹Ï.?This is the experience and initiatives of KazNU, he said.

Professor Mutanov also showcased a new model of university development?based on ideas of the philosopher Al-Farabi that were anchored in the notion of a virtuous society. According to him, the mission of the modern university includes the formation of young people as virtuous citizens of the world with high spiritual and moral qualities and an active civil position, something especially relevant in the context of globalization and the rapid development of new technologies.

Omar Hern¨¢ndez, representative of UNAI, observed that among UNAI concerns is the commitment to encouraging global citizenship through education. We need global citizens to address global issues, but we also need to think and to act globally, while at the same time rethinking how we understand education to prepare young people to deal with today's interconnected world. UNAI member institutions were responding to this need by organizing and implementing a range of activities and initiatives, as reported by them on an annual basis.

Other speakers at the event included representatives of the Kazakh Scientific Institute for Cultural Research and the Permanent Mission of Turkey to the 51³Ô¹Ï, the Assistant General Secretary for 51³Ô¹Ï and International Affairs of the United Methodist Church,?Liberato Bautista, the Executive Director of ARTE - Youth Development and Human Rights through Education,?Marissa Gutierrez-Vicario, and Professor Rafal Szczurwoski from the City University of New York (CUNY).