Minister of Education, Youth and Sports Hang Chuon Naron said Cambodia is fully committed to participating in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and to continue to participate in global efforts without leaving anyone behind.

Chuon Naron made the remarks while addressing delegates during the virtual UNESCO World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) on May 18.

The conference was organised by UNESCO in cooperation with the education ministry, German Federation of Industrial Research Associations and German Commission for UNESCO from May 17-19.

“The Kingdom of Cambodia is fully committed... to promoting ESD,” Chuon Naron said.

According to the education ministry, the conference helped to boost the new ESD framework for 2030, which aims to build a sustainable world and will contribute to the success of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

It also aims to build an education system that supports scholars of all ages to be responsible and contribute to a sustainable society and healthy planet.

The ministry said that based on the current global realities, a new trajectory was being developed during the Covid-19 pandemic, raising awareness of the challenges of sustainable development and the important role of ESD which is a driving force for the success of SDGs.

UNESCO said at the conference that Covid-19 has been endangering the lives of individuals and society as a whole, including the global education system.

“This crisis has put pressure on us to reflect on how we lead our lives, how we live together, how we feed ourselves and how we live on the planet we share,” it said.