International Day to Protect Education from Attack 2025; September 9th.

FORUM: "Challenging Narratives, Reshaping Action." International Day to Protect Education from Attack 2025. In 2025, six years after the first commemoration of International Day to Protect Education from Attack, armed conflict continues to escalate globally and attacks on education remain pervasive. Between 2022 and 2023, the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack reported approximately 6,000 attacks on students, educators, schools, and higher education institutions. This period also saw a 20% increase in the use of educational facilities for military purposes by parties to conflict. Over 10,000 students were killed, abducted, arrested, or otherwise harmed during this time. According to the 2025 UN Secretary-General’s Annual Report on Children and Armed Conflict, there was a 44% increase in attacks against schools in 2024 compared to the previous year. Attacks on education can have serious, long-term physical and psychological repercussions for students and teachers. Attacks can suspend teaching and learning, lead to a significant increase in dropout rates and prevent students from accessing their right to quality education. We must build on the international consensus on child protection and rally behind the instruments that have already been agreed upon widely as well as the respect of international law. Over 14,500 reports of attacks on education or military use of educational facilities were recorded worldwide between 2017 and 2022, according to the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (GCPEA). More than 28,000 students, teachers, and academics were injured, killed, or harmed in such attacks carried out in situations of armed conflict or insecurity. The International Day to Protect Education from Attack is an occasion to raise awareness about the pressing issue of attacks on schools, students, education personnel and teachers worldwide. It serves as a reminder that children and youth continue to face conflict, violence and disruption to their education, undermining their right to learn and thrive in a peaceful and nurturing environment. Follow the conversations with the hashtags: #9september, #AttacksonEducation, #ProtectEducationfromattack.

EVENTS: High-level event for the Sixth commemoration of the International Day to Protect Education from Attack.

On September 9th, at UN Geneva, a high-level event held by the UNESCO and partners will mark the International Day to Protect Education from Attack 2025, You are invited to join the debate on the theme: ‘Challenging narratives, reshaping action.’ This year, we mark the sixth United Nations International Day to Protect Education from Attack, with several commemorative events being held in the days before and after, in Geneva and elsewhere. These include a dedicated exhibition by Education Above All, entitled “Reshaping Action”, and a Youth Hub Debate, hosted by Qatar Debates, which will both take place at the Palais des Nations in Geneva from 11 am onwards. The event will be moderated by: Ms. Jenifer Vaughan (Fenton) Spokesperson for the UN Special Envoy for Syria Opening High Level Remarks: H.E. Ms. Maryam Al Attiyah Chairperson of the Qatar National Human Rights Committee H.E. Ms. Nada Al-Nashif OHCHR Deputy High Commissioner Youth Dialogue: Ahmad Al Naimi QatarDebate Youth Ambassador Noor Al Thani Qatar Debate Youth Ambassador and EAA Youth Advocate Manveer Singh Sandhu EAA-OHCHR Youth Rights Academy Participant Randa Al-Dawoudi EAA's Al Fakhoora Scholar; The Closing Remarks will be held by Mr. Abdulrahman I. Al-Subaie Programs Director, QatarDebat. Explore the full programme!

On September 9th, at UNHQ, a webinar to mark the International Day to Protect Education from Attack 2025; The United Nations General Assembly, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the UNHCR, the OHCHR, the Special Rapporteur on the right to education, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict (SRSG), the United Nations Peackeeping will held. This year's main High-Level Observance of the fifth International Day is co-organized by the UNESCO, the Permanent mission of Slovenia to the UN, the Education Above All (EAA) Foundation, the UNICEF, and the United Nations Department of Global Communications, will take place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. This event is part of a week-long commemoration dedicated to galvanizing action to safeguard education. The event will gather global leaders, stakeholders, teachers and victims of attacks on education to focus on the endorsement and implementation of the Safe Schools Declaration, and to renew the international political commitment aimed at protecting education in conflict situations. The United Nations Peacebuilding Commission will organize a special event focusing on education’s role in building peace within the framework of the ongoing revision of UNESCO’s 1974 recommendation concerning education for international understanding, co-operation and peace and education relating to human rights and fundamental freedoms. Please Register to participate!

PUBLICATION: The version of the Education under attack 2024 Report have demonstrated that attacks on education and military use of schools and universities are increasing across the globe.The overall goal of the launch event is to galvanise support by Member States and other relevant stakeholders towards key findings and recommendations in the Education under Attack report, and to inform the Security Council Open Debate on Children and Armed Conflict. Specific objectives: 1. To disseminate and build support and partnerships towards key findings and recommendations of Education under Attack 2024, in particular those related to the increase in attacks involving the use of explosive weapons, climate change and gender; 2. To increase the political support to the Safe Schools Declaration within the Security Council in the lead up to the 2024 International Day on Protecting Education from Attack; 3. To stress the need for an intersectional and cross-sectoral approach towards attacks on education, including multi-stakeholder and multi-level coordination around different fora, including the Security Council, the 79th session of the UN General Assembly and the Summit of the Future, the 2024 Humanitarian Affairs Segment and the 2024 High-Level Political Forum. Audience: Members States, in particular members of the UN Security Council, UN experts and entities, civil society organisations, academia, donors, NY-based press. The Key findings of the Education under attack 2024 report include: • Attacks on education are increasing; over 10,000 students, teachers, and academics were harmed, injured, or killed in these attacks, which occurred in armed conflicts across the globe. • Attacks on schools were the most prevalent form of attack on education; • There has been a general increase in the use of educational facilities for military purposes and attacks involving the use of explosive weapons; • Students with disabilities were uniquely impacted by attacks on education; • Women and girls were targeted because of their gender in attacks on education in certain contexts; • Spreading violence from the Central Sahel into neighbouring West African countries began impacting access to education in affected countries; • Initial connections between climate change and attacks on education are emerging, such as in contexts of climate-change induced food insecurity. Read more!

Statement from the United Nations Secretary General on the International Day to Protect Education from Attack 2025, September 9th.

 No child should risk death to learn.

Yet this year, as violence against children in armed conflict continues to climb to unprecedented levels, education is once again caught in the crossfire.

The past 12 months saw a staggering 44 percent surge in attacks on schools, resulting in the death, abduction and trauma of thousands of teachers and students. Each violation carries profound consequences — not only for teachers and young learners, but for the future of entire communities and countries.

The United Nations is working tirelessly to stop this scourge and ensure every child can access their basic right to education, even in the most dangerous contexts. But we cannot do it alone.

Countries must invest in education systems that can reach every child and fully endorse and implement the Safe Schools Declaration.

I also call on all parties to conflict to meet their obligations under international law, respect schools as places of safety and hold accountable those responsible for attacks.

The pen, the book and the classroom are all mightier than the sword.

Let’s keep it that way and protect the fundamental right of every child to learn in safety and peace.

 United Nations Secretary-General.

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