a long history, a shared path towards the future – weecnetwork

50th Anniversary of the Belgrade Charter (1975–2025)

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Belgrade Charter, a milestone document in the development of global environmental education. The Charter was the result of the International Environmental Education Workshop held in Belgrade from 13 to 22 October 1975, with participants from 60 countries. This historic meeting laid the groundwork for the 1977 Intergovernmental Conference in Tbilisi, which remains a global reference point to this day.

The Belgrade workshop was the first concrete implementation of Recommendation No. 96 of the Stockholm Conference (1972), which called on the United Nations and other international agencies to develop an interdisciplinary international programme on environmental education, accessible to all age groups and sectors of society.

To mark this important anniversary, we invite institutions, schools, organizations, and individuals around the world to organize activities and events to celebrate the Belgrade Charter and renew our collective commitment to environmental education. These may include:

• school activities and outdoor initiatives,

• seminars, webinars, and workshops,

• or simply dedicating the World Environmental Education Day (in October) to this historic occasion.

The goal is to honour the past, prepare for the 50th anniversary of the Tbilisi Conference in 2027, and explore the future challenges and perspectives of global environmental education in a rapidly changing world.

We also highlight the global joint initiative “NLtH – No Limits to Hope”, promoted by CoR, T5thE, and WEEC, as an excellent opportunity to contribute to environmental education. We warmly encourage activities that address the key questions on learning posed in the NLtH concept note, aiming to foster learning processes that are hopeful, inclusive, and transformative.

Let us celebrate together a long journey of shared commitment to the planet.