Every year on January 24, people around the world come together to celebrate the International Day of Education. It’s a time to reflect on how AI in education shapes our lives, opens up opportunities, and helps build more knowledge and discoveries. For 2025, the theme is both timely and thought-provoking: “AI and Education: Preserving Human Agency in a World of Automation.”
The 2025 theme highlights the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in education. It’s about exploring how learning can help us navigate new technology while making sure we stay in charge of the decisions and ideas that shape our future. With automation becoming more common, the conversation focuses on how we can balance these advances with our values and individuality while using AI responsibly.
What’s Happening This Year?
UNESCO will host a gathering at the United Nations headquarters to explore the relationship between AI and education, focusing on how education can adapt to these changes and exploring its opportunities and challenges
- Global Event in Paris: On January 24, 2025, UNESCO will host a global event in Paris focusing on the intersection of AI and education.
- Global Event in New York: A parallel event will take place at the United Nations headquarters in New York, addressing similar themes.
- Webinar on Lifelong Learning in the Age of AI: Organised by the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning, this online webinar on January 24, 2025, will explore the implications of AI for lifelong learning.
Why This Day Matters
The International Day of Education is a reminder of how essential learning is to solving big challenges, such as poverty, climate change, inequality, conflict, public health, and access to resources. It’s a moment to share progress, build connections, and spark new ideas for making education better and more inclusive. By focusing on AI this year, the goal is to encourage thoughtful discussions about how technology can work for us without losing sight of what makes us human.