Beirut, 26 January 2026 — On the occasion of the International Day of Education 2026, celebrated globally under the theme “The Power of Youth in Co-Creating Education”, UNESCO Regional Office in Beirut organized an educational dialogue forum addressing “Youth Re-Imagining Education” under the patronage and presence of Her Excellency the First Lady of the Republic of Lebanon, Mrs. Nehmat Aoun. The event took place at the American University of Beirut (AUB) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, the Asfari Institute for Civil Society & Citizenship at AUB, and the Lebanese National Commission for UNESCO (NATCOM).
The forum brought together more than 150 young people from across Lebanon, representing universities, public and private schools, and TVET institutions, alongside policymakers, ministers, educators, and key actors in education in Lebanon. The celebration positioned youth as leaders and co-creators of dialogue, showcasing UNESCO’s commitment to meaningful youth engagement in shaping education systems.
The event opened with remarks from Dr. Fadlo R. Khuri, President of the American University of Beirut, who highlighted “Education and citizenship are intimately connected and cannot thrive without one another. Without citizenship, education runs the risk of becoming transactional and limited. Without education, citizenship runs the risk of becoming brittle and susceptible to manipulation. Bringing the two together, especially in the digital era, is one of the most important tasks facing educators and policymakers.”
Dr. Maysoun Chehab, Officer in Charge of the UNESCO Regional Office in Beirut, called on participants to move forward with a clear commitment:
“Let us leave here not simply celebrating education as it is, but committed to shaping education as it must be relevant, courageous, caring, inclusive, and built in genuine partnership with local communities and young people.”
Mr. Imran Riza, UN Deputy Special Coordinator, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Lebanon, underlined the commitment of the United Nations to supporting Lebanon in its education reform agenda, informed by the evolving needs and aspirations of young people.
The opening segment concluded with remarks by Her Excellency Mrs. Nehmat Aoun, First Lady of the Lebanese Republic, who addressed the audience with the words “Today, our focus is on you… the youth. We talk a lot about education reform, curricula, policies, and systems. But today, I want to be clear: you, the young men and women, are here not just to receive educational reform, but to actively participate in creating it.”
The celebration featured an Interactive Dialogue Forum and a Live Art Exhibition, organized as two parallel youth-led activities. One group led thematic discussions on education and citizenship through a flipped dialogue with decision-makers. The other group co-created a live art exhibition for showcasing how they reimagine education.
Throughout the forum, youth were at the center of the discussions, posing questions, sharing insights, and providing concrete recommendations to Her Excellency the First Lady, the Minister of Social Affairs, the Minister of State for Technology and Artificial Intelligence and Minister of the Displaced, President of the Center for Educational Research and development and the President of the Lebanese National Commission for UNESCO. Topics included active citizenship, digital learning and media and information literacy (MIL), inclusion and citizenship, and education for sustainable development and employability, highlighting how youth could transform education systems to support them in responding to the challenges of an increasingly digital world while building better a country that counts on them as active citizens.
The forum also highlighted national efforts to strengthen citizenship and digital learning, including the School of Citizenship initiative launched under the leadership of the First Lady and ongoing work on digital learning strategies and curriculum development. These efforts underscore the importance of youth-led engagement and participation as a cornerstone of inclusive, future-ready education in Lebanon.
By placing youth at the forefront of dialogue and decision-making, the International Day of Education 2026 celebration in Lebanon created a vibrant space for intergenerational interaction, where young voices directly shaped the discussions and recommendations expected to inform national conversations on education, citizenship, and learning during times of transformation.
In line with the vision of UNESCO Director-General Mr. Khaled El-Enany to place young people at the heart of education systems, UNESCO reaffirms its commitment to action and to delivering #ForThePeople, by continuing to support youth and national partners to ensure that education systems equip young people with the knowledge, skills, values and competencies needed to take the stage in society and contribute meaningfully to sustainable development.