The call for nominations for the fifth edition of the UNESCO-Japan Prize on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is now open. Moreover, the Prize annually rewards three outstanding projects and programmes promoting ESD with USD 50,000 each. The UNESCO-Japan Prize was established in 2014 in the framework of the GAP, and is generously funded by the Government of Japan. Director-General of UNESCO will make an announcement for this year’s winners in September. In addition to receiving the monetary award at an official ceremony in Paris, all winners will be invited to join the Partner Networks of the Global Action Programme on ESD.

Selection Criteria

A) Transformation:

The project/programme practices Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) as transformative education in support of sustainable development, , leading to individual and social change.

ESD is transformative education in that it empowers learners to transform themselves and the society they live in. The nominated project/programme should therefore enable learners to bring about changes for a more just, peaceful and sustainable world. This can mean, for example, taking action against climate change, changing one’s consumption patterns, developing social entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihoods, or supporting those struggling against poverty.

B) Integration:

The project/programme addresses the three dimensions of sustainable development (society, economy, environment) in an integrated way.

Furthermore, sustainable development calls for the integration of the social, economic and environmental dimensions of development. The nominated project/programme should be in line with this definition of sustainable development. In addition, it should address the three dimensions (society, economy, environment), and help learners understand the interdependence between them and act accordingly.

C) Innovation:

The project/programme demonstrates an innovative approach to ESD.

Moreover, sustainable development requires going beyond ‘business as usual’ and ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking. The nominated project/programme should demonstrate an innovative approach to ESD, be it in the themes it covers, the methodology it employs, or the way the learning environment is designed. Reaching out to sectors beyond education and working with new partners can also be a sign of innovation.

In addition to these three criteria, the project/programme should:

• be ongoing and have been running for at least four years
• have a high impact relative to the invested resources
• be replicable and scalable
• contribute to one or more of the five Priority Action Areas of the GAP.