Teachers and their unions around the globe celebrate World Teachers’ Day this year on October 5 through a 24-hour live online gathering that starts in Asia-Pacific and ends a full day after in North America and the Caribbean.

Education International, a global union representing over 30 million educators in 172 countries, hosts this biggest online meeting of teachers and advocates with the theme “Taking the Lead”, amid the pandemic that has also caused a crisis in the education sector.

“Teachers have been absolutely outstanding during these incredibly hard times. Now is the time to stand together because together we have the power to effect real change in the world. We are the teaching and learning profession. If the world is to learn the lessons of the pandemic, teachers must take the lead. On October 5th we are getting started,” said EI General Secretary David Edwards.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen and UNESCO Bangkok Director Shigeru Aoyagi are among the leaders who will be joining the virtual celebration dubbed #5octlive

There would be would live panel discussions on teaching through the pandemic, and on trade union and human-rights issues in Asia Pacific. Among the panelist is Maria Ressa, CEO of Rappler.

In the Philippines, active affiliates of EI are the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), Federation of Free Workers-Trade Federation VIII (FFW), Philippine Public School Teachers’Association (PPSTA), Samahang Manggagawang Pilipino-National Alliance of Teachers and Office Workers (SMP-NATOW), and Teachers Organization of the Philippine Public Sector (TOPPS).

As the broadcast moves from one region to another, the event will highlight the specific challenges to educators and their unions in Asia-Pacific, Africa, Arab countries, Europe, Latin America, and North America and the Caribbean. Each region’s program includes a mix of teachers’ stories, dialogues, and messages from actors in education, including state leaders and representatives of the United Nations and nongovernment organizations. 

Registrations are open at www.5oct.org.

Press Release