Kinnaird Center for Learning and Cultural Development (KCLCD), Kinnaird College for Women in collaboration with CMYMC and Youth Revolution Clan (YRC) organized the conference on International Education Day under the theme of investing in people, and prioritizing education.
The conference aimed to highlight the essential role of education in the promotion of development and peace in achieving the sustainable development agenda devised by the UN, which emphasizes that countries will not succeed in achieving gender equality and breaking the cycle of poverty that is leaving millions of children, youth and adults behind.
The conference commenced with the opening remarks by Rizwan Anwar, Executive Director (KCLCD) and Global Youth Ambassador of the UN, While putting light on the objective of the conference he mentioned that the international community recognized that education is essential for the success of all 17 its goals when it revealed 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in September 2015. Ms Maha Jamil Chair Organizing Committee of the conference shared that Sustainable Development Goal 4, in particular, aims to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”.
During the conference, the UN Secretary General’s video message on international education day was screened which reflected the initiatives of the UN in the promotion of education. The conference hosted an informative session on learning experiences, diversity and student learning practices in which Ms Gulsana Mansha (Educationist), Air Cmdr (R)️ Khalid Chishti, Shoaib Iqbal, Dr Farzan Arshad and Zeeba Hashmi participated as speakers. The speakers talked about the importance of education and said that education offers children a ladder out of poverty and a path to a promising future.
During the conference it was discussed that 244 million children and adolescents around the world are out of school; 617 million children and adolescents cannot read and do basic math; less than 40% of girls in sub-Saharan Africa complete lower secondary school and some four million children and youth refugees are out of school. Their right to education is being violated and it is unacceptable.
Rana Mashood Ahmad Khan, former Provincial Education Minister, was the chief guest of the last session of the conference. He acknowledged the role of Kinnaird College in promoting quality education for girls and said that the Educational Policies which were drafted and implemented during his tenure are benefiting the academia, Research and youth sectors at large.
Principal Kinnaird Colleges Dr Ruksana David thanked the speakers and participants for their valuable contributions. She vowed that Kinnaird College will continue to raise awareness about important aspects besides academic activities. The conference concluded with the certificate distribution ceremony among the speakers.
