GCED has been recognized as a critical element in equipping learners with knowledge, values, skills, and attitudes so they can contribute positively as active and responsible citizens to realizing a more peaceful, just, inclusive, and sustainable future. This recognition is embodied in the inclusion of GCED in Target 4.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Education 2030 Agenda in 2015. Since then, UNESCO member states have been striving to intensify their efforts to mainstream GCED into their education systems, including their policies, curricula, teacher education, and student assessment.

The meeting successfully gathered key representatives from Southeast Asian countries to provide updates on their respective GCED implementations and discuss the challenges and opportunities they are facing on the ground. Moreover, the participants talked about possible areas of cooperation in the field of GCED that would help APCEIU and SEAMEO expedite the realization of Target 4.7, which is also aligned with SEAMEO Education Priority Area Number 7, “Adopting a 21st-Century Curriculum” and culture priority areas defined in SEAMEO Strategic Plan 2021–2030 focusing on enhancing peace and intercultural understanding and literacy and appreciation in the modern world.