Over 650 participants, including learners, facilitators and managers of Kominkan(Community Learning Centre of Japan) and other Community Learning Centers (CLCs), community educators, representatives from governments, United Nation agencies and researchers gathered together for the Kominkan-CLC International Conference on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), held in Okayama-City, Japan from 9 to 12 October 2014. Participants discussed how to sustain and promote ESD through community-based learning, drawing on their rich experience of working together with local communities. The main outcome of the Conference was the Okayama Commitment 2014: Promoting ESD beyond DESD through Community-Based Learning, a document that celebrates the significant contributions of community-based learning during the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014) and the commitments made to continue making advancements in ESD.

 For more information and to access relevant outcome documents please visit the conference website. The French version of the “Okayama Commitment 2014” is available at UNESDOG. The Okayama Commitment 2014 has also been uploaded on Youtube: short English version (3 min), short Japanese version (3 min) and the full version (24 min).

The Global Action Programme on ESD (GAP) launched in 2015 set local communities as one of the five Priority Action Areas, i.e. as number five: accelerating sustainable solutions at the local level. Kominkan and CLCs community-based learning institutions will continue to be the driving force for ESD promotion at the local level. Please feel free to use and share the commitment and the videos.