Foreword
The 1992 Earth Summit marked the beginning of an effort to address human needs holistically by integrating environmental, economic and social goals. Following the World Summit on Sustainable Development (held in Johannesburg in 2002), the UN launched the UN Decade for Education for Sustainable Development starting in 2005, with UNESCO appointed as its Lead Agency.
The goal of the United Nations is to build a broad ownership of sustainable development at all levels - global, regional, national and local/community and to engage all possible partners including governments, municipalities, NGOs, civil society and the private sector in this effort.
In accordance with the Programme of Activity approved by the 32nd General Conference of UNESCO (Paris, 2003), the UNESCO Center for Women and Peace in the Balkan Countries has included the issues of sustainable development and management of resources, among its highest priorities for action.
The present event, bringing together Greek and foreign speakers, is expected to make a substantial contribution in this field by exploring how education can encourage sustainable lifestyles and bring about behavioral changes that individuals and communities need to embrace in order to realize sustainable development, with emphasis on the role of the individual in leading transition towards sustainability through changing lifestyles.
The International Environmental Forum, accredited by the United Nations and the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, hopes that the results will provide a contribution to the launching of the UN Decade on Education for Sustainable Development in a few months.
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