International Day to Protect Education from Attack in United States of America

When did the International Day to Protect Education from Attack in United States of America start?

The first recorded date of International Day to Protect Education from Attack in United States of America being celebrated on September 9 was in the year 2018.

About International Day to Protect Education from Attack in United States of America Holiday

Greetings from the United States of America!

Today marks a special international event, the International Day to Protect Education from Attack. This day is celebrated around the globe to bring awareness to the threats posed to educational centers and infrastructure, with a call to action to put an end to these hostile attacks.

Attacks on education and educational facilities have long been a problem around the world, particularly affecting children and their ability to gain an education and reach their goals. These attacks take on a multitude of forms, ranging from abductions, sexual abuse, and bullying to physical damage of facilities. Through the International Day of Action to Protect Education from Attack, we hope to bring these issues into the spotlight and take a stand to protect education for all in the United States and throughout the world.

We invite everyone in the United States of America to unite and join together on this day to recognize the importance of education and to stand up in opposition to those who wish to attack it. Education should be considered a right, not a privilege. We invite you to join in celebrating the International Day to Protect Education from Attack and to pledge to keep education safe for all.

What is International Day to Protect Education from Attack in the United States of America?

The International Day to Protect Education from Attack is observed on August 9th each year. It was declared on December 2, 2019, by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 74/265 as a call to action and global recognition acknowledging the need to ensure that all students and educators can participate in quality education free from attack or fear and helping to “ensure the realization of the right to education as agreed in the Sustainable Development Goals and other international human rights instruments.” On this day, the global education community joins in efforts to raise awareness of attacks on education, and to call for their prevention.

History and Origin

International Day to Protect Education from Attack was founded in response to the widespread violations of international humanitarian law concerning attacks on educational institutions, their personnel, and students, which occur in conflict-affected countries around the world. It was endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2019 to commemorate the destruction and desecration of centuries-old universities in Aleppo, Syria and Baghdad, Iraq. This resolution indicated the urgency of this global issue and provided the international community with the powerful platform of International Day of Protection of Education to raise awareness and to share best practices.

The day is part of the larger United Nations ‘Stand Up for Education’ campaign which is a lead up to the yearly Education Summit in September 2020. It was founded with an aim to encourage governments and communities to build back better, to promote resilient education systems, and to take action to protect education in conflict. The overall goal of the global campaign is to raise global awareness about the urgency of protecting education from attack and to spur concrete action to ensure that education remains a safe environment that enables students to thrive academically and personally.

Significance and Meaning

International Day to Protect Education from Attack is an important day for the global education community, as it serves to heighten awareness of the need to ensure safe learning environments. This day underscores the commitment of the United Nations to call for immediate and robust action to protect education in conflict-affected countries, and reaffirms the obligation of all parties to the conflict to respect international laws which protect educational institutions, allow educational personnel to work safely, and enable students to exercise their right to receive and pursue an education without fear or interference. The International Day to Protect Education from Attack also serves as an opportunity to celebrate the strength and resilience of educational institutions, personnel, and students who continue to strive for the right to education in the worst of times.

Traditions and Celebrations

To commemorate International Day to Protect Education from Attack, individuals, organizations, and communities around the world take part in various activities to raise awareness of the issue and to call for global action to protect education from attack. These activities include online or offline concerts, exhibitions, campaigns, and panel discussions involving government bodies, leading NGOs, and civil society organizations to reflect on different aspects of education in conflict. The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and artists are among those leading the festivities on the day.

Events around the world also include cultural and political marches, activities, hearings, video screenings, workshops, online radio programs, and rallies with the participation of educators, students, and communities to share experiences, ensure the implementation of international human rights law regarding education, and advocate for the protection of educational institutions and personnel from attack in conflict-affected countries.

Geographical Spread

International Day to Protect Education from Attack is observed in countries all over the world, as it is a UN-mandated resolution. However, the day is most strongly celebrated in conflict-affected countries, such as Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Somalia, where educational institutions, personnel, and students have been subjected to attack by parties to those conflicts. This day is also seen as an opportunity to remember the decades of violence endured in these countries as a result of political conflict, and a reminder of the importance of international human rights law that protects education for everyone in the world.

The day is also celebrated in countries where educational institutions and personnel have sought protection due to international humanitarian law, such as Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Myanmar. In these countries, assemblies, rallies, public endurance events, and educational workshops are conducted in order to promote awareness of the global importance of protecting education from attack.

Modern Day Observances

Modern day International Day to Protect Education from Attack observances have largely been virtual due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. In response to this, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) launched the ‘Standing Up for Education’ community microsite, which is an online platform dedicated to the movement to protect education from attack by connecting global communities, resources and best practices. This platform also serves as a site for the sharing of stories from both those affected by attack and those supporting them with their own efforts to protect education.

In addition, virtual concerts, exhibitions, and rallies hosted by civil society organisations, United Nations and intergovernmental organisations, have been held worldwide to increase attention to the International Day and galvanize further collective action to protect education from attack. This year, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) launched the ‘#NeverTooLate’ campaign, which is an effort to ensure that no one is denied an education despite their personal circumstances.

Interesting Facts or Trivia

• Education facilities were used for military purposes in more than 300 cases between 2014 and 2018.

• In 2019, an estimated 24 million school-aged children were living in conflict affected areas.

• In the first six months of 2019, a total of 1,280 attacks on education were verified.

• More than 7,000 airstrikes and ground attacks during 2018-2020 targeted educational facilities in large part of the Middle East.

• One in five schools worldwide are at risk of destruction from natural disasters, conflict, and other shocks.

• Education is among the top five global priorities for humanitarian action.

• Over 350 million students around the world currently have disrupted access to schooling.

• In 2019, educators, student and school personnel suffered attacks in 44 countries.

• More than 1,200 teachers, professors and education personnel have been killed or injured in attacks on schools since 2013.

• Around 350 million children, adolescents and young people live in countries affected by crisis and conflict.

• In 61 countries it is illegal or restricted to teach certain subjects, such as peace studies, human rights, or gender equality.

• As of 2019, 810 million children were not in school, 60% of them being in primary school ages

Holiday Wishes

1. Wishing for a safer and more peaceful world for our children.
2. May the global community unite to protect education from attack.
3. May the survivors of attacked educational institutions be supported and healed.
4. Wishing our students a bright future and boundless opportunities for learning.
5. May every child receive the education they deserve.

Holiday Messages

1. Let us strive to build safe learning environments everywhere.
2. Our teachers and students need to be supported and protected.
3. Education is a human right that should be accessible to everyone.
4. Let us commit to stand together against attacks on educational institutions and personnel.
5. We will continue to work together to ensure education is a safe and secure environment for our students.

Holiday Quotes

1. “Let us remember: One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world.” – Malala Yousafzai
2. “Knowledge can bring us together instead of dividing us.” – Ban Ki-moon
3. “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela
4. “Education is the key to success in life, and teachers make a lasting impact in the lives of their students.” – Solomon Ortiz
5. “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” – John Dewey

Other Popular Holiday Info

International Day to Protect Education from Attack is a global awareness day for the need to protect education from attack. This day serves to underline the collective responsibility of the international community to protect schools, universities and other educational institutions, their personnel and students from attack. In order to achieve this goal, implementation of existing international human rights and international humanitarian law is essential. Educational institutions and their personnel should be enabled to work safely, to provide quality education, and to keep students safe from attack or fear.

All parties to the conflict must bear in mind their international legal obligation to respect schools, universities, and other educational institutions as protected entities. This means refraining from any hostile use of educational institutions, their personnel, and students, and from any activities that interfere with students’ access to education or teachers’ access to the school. Education should be seen as an important element in post-conflict reconstruction and development, as it is key to creating a society in which individuals can realize their full potential.

On International Day to Protect Education from Attack, the United Nations encourages individuals, communities, civil society organizations, and governments to join in creating a world where education is safe, secure and free from fear and attack. By joining in this global effort, we can ensure the realization of the right to education in order to build a better and more peaceful world for future generations.