Director-General's remarks at the Commemoration to mark the International Day to Protect Education from Attack

Commemoration to mark the International Day
to Protect Education from Attack

Wednesday, 9 September 2026 at 12 p.m.
Room XVI, Palais des Nations

Ambassador Al-Muftah [Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar],
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,

I would like to sincerely thank the Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar and the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack for organizing this commemoration of the Seventh International Day to Protect Education from Attack.

Proclaimed by the General Assembly in 2020, this International Day was established to raise awareness of the devastating impact of armed conflict on students, educators and schools, and to mobilize action to protect them.

In this context, I would also like to commend the State of Qatar for its sustained commitment to keeping this issue at the forefront of the international agenda. Through its efforts to preserve education and build resilient education systems in conflict-affected regions, Qatar, together with many other dedicated partners in Geneva and beyond, has helped sustain learning and opportunity for countless children affected by crisis.

Six years after its proclamation, this Day remains as relevant and urgent as ever. Across the world, attacks on education continue to disrupt learning, damage communities, and deprive children and young people of opportunities that are essential for their future.

These attacks are not simply violations of individual rights. They are attacks on the future of entire societies. When conflict disrupts education, children lose far more than access to a classroom. They lose opportunities, stability, protection and hope. Communities, in turn, lose an essential foundation for recovery, resilience and lasting peace.

Yet, these alarming trends should not lead us to despair. Rather, they should strengthen our determination to act. Protecting education from attack means protecting the possibility of a different future. Too often, attacks on education are viewed merely as unfortunate consequences of war. We must recognize them for what they are: deliberate assaults on human development and on society’s future.

This understanding is particularly important as we reflect on this year’s theme: resilience.

Resilience challenges us to think not only about protecting education, but also about ensuring its continuity when conflict strikes. It requires preparedness, adaptation, and effective recovery mechanisms to ensure that learning can continue, even under the most difficult circumstances.

The international community has a critical role to play in strengthening the resilience of education systems. This includes supporting affected communities in developing early-warning mechanisms, alternative learning arrangements and innovative technologies that help maintain access to education when traditional classrooms are disrupted.

At the same time, we must remember that resilience cannot replace accountability. Schools and universities are civilian spaces and must never be targets. Respect for international humanitarian law is not optional. Those responsible for attacks on education must be identified and held accountable.

As we strengthen our efforts to keep learning alive during conflict, we must also redouble our efforts to prevent attacks from occurring in the first place, to investigate them when they do occur, and to ensure justice for victims. Resilient education systems and accountability for attacks on education are mutually reinforcing objectives and must advance hand in hand if we are to safeguard every child's right to learn, even in the most challenging circumstances.

Thank you.