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14 Jul 2023

New social media campaign demonstrates the global impact of lifelong learning

UNESCO I'm a Lifelong Learner campaign

A new social media campaign, #ImALifelongLearner, from UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning shines a light on individuals across the globe who have felt the benefits of keeping up education in some form throughout their lives. At AONTAS, we’re proud to be official partners in this campaign, and to work with the international community to make learning possible for everyone. 

Last year, AONTAS was asked by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to attend the 7th International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA VII). Last June, our then-CEO Dr Niamh O’Reilly and then-Head of Advocacy Dearbháil Lawless travelled to Morocco to represent our members at the conference and advocate for the right to equal access to education for all. They were joined by representatives from more than 140 countries.

One year later, the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning is looking back on this historic conference and the adoption of the Marrakech Framework for Action. This July, they have launched the #ImALifelongLearner campaign, during the Inclusive Lifelong Learning conference happening in Bali, Indonesia. As part of this campaign, people from all across the world are sharing their thoughts and feelings on the importance of lifelong learning. The aim is to show the real impact of continued education on people’s lives, and highlight the enormous community of lifelong learners across the world.

The CONFINTEA event takes place every 10 years and each time results in a new framework for achieving global goals in adult learning. It is voted upon by Ministries for adult education from across the world. Niamh and Dearbháil specifically spoke on behalf of AONTAS members in Ireland.

Speaking on her experience of CONFINTEA last year, and of the importance of lifelong learning across the globe, Dearbháil said:

“In this CONFINTEA framework, which sets the agenda for adult learning policy across the globe for the next ten years, community education is recognised and specifically named as a key priority. Niamh called for emphasis on systemic inequalities in lifelong learning, which education in local communities can help counter. She also highlighted that learning can result not just in employment or skills but in holistic and community development.

Learner Voice was also named as a key priority in the new framework, meaning that the experiences and perspectives of people doing the learning are a critical part of improving and structuring education courses and programmes. It also means that learners’ voices are specifically taken into account when creating new education policies. At CONFINTEA in Marrakesh last year, Niamh and I advocated for official recognition of learners’ abilities to shape policy and education provision. These points are all reflected in the new Marrakesh Framework.”

The #ImALifelongLearner campaign calls for people to “Join the Movement”:

“Show the world that you believe in the transformative power of learning. Join our #ImALifelongLearner campaign, tell everyone why you are a lifelong learner and inspire others!” Click here to add your photo and share to get involved.   

Read more about AONTAS’s work at CONFINTEA in Marrakesh last June.