The dramatic social upheavals of 2020 provided an extraordinary backdrop for the development of this strategic plan, which covers the years 2021 to 2026. The challenges our societies face — and the opportunities before us — have seldom been clearer. At the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, we are unrepentant idealists who clearly see the need for transformative change. Accordingly, this strategic plan underlines our ongoing dedication to partnership and to achieving the goals and values of UNESCO and the UN system. Our commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is unwavering, as is our commitment to solidarity with Indigenous, racialized, and marginalized peoples.
Our Strategic Plan 2021-2026, which aligns with UNESCO's Medium-Term Strategy 2022-2029, includes three strategic objectives and four cross-cutting priorities.
Strategic objectives
Education, culture, freedom of expression and anti-racism advance an inclusive, just, and peaceful society
- International Decade for People of African Descent
- International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
- World Press Freedom Day
Science, technology, education and culture contribute to sustainable development
- UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development
- Open Science and decolonizing knowledge
- Culture and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Governments and civil society safeguard natural, cultural and documentary heritage for future generations
- International Decade for Indigenous Languages
- UNESCO designated sites
- Canada Memory of the World Register
Cross-cutting priorities
To create this strategic plan, our Secretariat consulted executive committee members, network leaders and key partners. Their discussions reflected what we had heard and observed before: top concerns still include racism, Indigenous Peoples’ rights, disinformation, and the ongoing climate crisis. Stakeholders also called for more opportunities for youth to participate meaningfully in decision-making and for solutions to address gender equity. These conversations laid the basis for the development of our cross-cutting priorities.
Implementing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to support Truth and Reconciliation
- Advance and promote the International Decade for Indigenous Languages
- Support efforts to decolonize knowledge and uphold Indigenous knowledge systems
- Advise UNESCO on implementing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in its activities
Promoting gender equity and justice
- Continue to advance gender equity, especially in science
- Support the rights and inclusion of 2SLGBTQ people
- Take on initiatives that consider how race and gender intersect, including sexual and gender diversity
Mainstreaming youth leadership
- Model how to mainstream youth leadership through our Youth Advisory Group
- Support youth leadership to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
- Include the perspectives of youth from various socio-economic backgrounds and with different levels of education in our work
Fighting against racism
- Strengthen and grow the Coalition of Inclusive Municipalities, an important movement that mobilizes cities to take action against racism
- Continue our work to raise the profile of the International Decade for People of African Descent and its objectives
- Mainstream the voices of racialized people in our networks and partnerships
