EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP

Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship: A Cornerstone of AECID’s International Cooperation

Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship (EpDCG) represents one of the strategic pillars of Spanish Cooperation and the AECID’s international action. It consists of a lifelong educational process—formal, non-formal, and informal—that seeks to foster critical awareness, attitudes of solidarity, and civic engagement in the face of global challenges.

In accordance with the Law on Cooperation for Sustainable Development and Global Solidarity, this area of work promotes the active involvement of Spanish and European society in building a more just, equitable, and sustainable world. Its main objective is to foster critical thinking, the participation of children and youth, and shared responsibility toward the most vulnerable people, the planet, and future generations.

In this way, education for sustainable development is established as a fundamental tool for the eco-social transformation of our society and the Global South in a manner that is based on solidarity, fairness, inclusivity, responsibility, peace, and sustainability, with decentralized cooperation playing a key role.

Strategic Framework for Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship in Spanish Cooperation

According to the Spanish Cooperation Strategy for Education for Development and Global Citizenship, ESDGC is an ongoing educational process aimed, through knowledge, attitudes, and values, at promoting global citizenship that fosters a culture of solidarity committed to the fight against poverty and exclusion, as well as to the promotion of human and sustainable development.

The Spanish Cooperation Master Plan for Sustainable Development and Global Solidarity 2024–2027 views Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship as a strategic pillar for strengthening social support for cooperation and promoting a critical, informed, and committed citizenry regarding the SDGs. From UNESCO’s perspective, it identifies this as a transformative public policy that promotes values of social justice, gender equality, human rights, peace, and sustainability.

Unlike traditional cooperation, which is aimed at transforming the Global South, ESD and GCE also seek to promote structural changes in the Global North. Both dimensions—on-the-ground cooperation and education for social transformation—are complementary and necessary to achieve truly sustainable and equitable development.

A comprehensive approach: awareness-raising, training, research, and advocacy

Development education is conceived as a continuous and planned process, not as a one-off intervention. EpDCG’s initiatives take place in a variety of settings—schools, universities, social organizations, recreational spaces, and the media—and are tailored to different audiences based on their context and level of engagement.

Its lines of work are organized into four interconnected dimensions:

• Awareness-raising: dissemination and social reflection on the causes and consequences of global inequality.
• Education and training: development of skills, values, and knowledge related to solidarity, equity, and human rights.
• Research: generation of evidence to improve the quality and impact of educational interventions.
• Social participation and policy advocacy: strengthening the social fabric and promoting policies consistent with the principles of sustainable development and global citizenship.

Partnerships and Programs Led by the AECID

To implement these initiatives, the AECID works in close collaboration with non-governmental development organizations (NGDOs), universities, labor unions, and public institutions.  Coordination with decentralized cooperation in this area is increasing both with the autonomous communities and with platforms such as CONFOCOS and the FEMP, with which programs on Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship supported by the AECID are being carried out. 

One of the flagship programs in this area is the Teachers for Development Program, promoted in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training, and Sports. This initiative integrates the educational community into innovation projects, promoting teaching practices that foster global awareness, solidarity, and commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Transformative Education in the Service of Sustainable Development

Education for Development and Global Citizenship is a central pillar of Spain’s contribution to sustainable development. Through its efforts, the AECID promotes structural changes in mindsets, values, and social practices, thereby strengthening social cohesion, justice, and global responsibility.

The 2030 Agenda explicitly recognizes the role of development education in SDG 4: Quality Education, and more specifically in Target 4.7, which seeks to “ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, gender equality, human rights, and global citizens.

Consequently, AECID has also begun designing programs to support Ministries of Education in advancing the achievement of this target in the countries where it operates, as well as collaborating with other cooperation institutions to create, promote, and improve public policies in this area. Currently, AECID participates alongside Portugal, Andorra, the Dominican Republic, Chile, Mexico, Paraguay, and Ecuador in the Ibero-American Global Citizenship Program, supported by SEGIB.