Presented by Zhang Jiayi (High School Student, China)
Organized by The Light Millennium Global, in support of the Observance of the International Day of Education #EducationDay2026
In collaboration with the Coalition for the #CompulsoryPeaceICTsCampaign #7.
Aligned with the UNESCO 2026 Dedication Theme: “The Power of Youth in Co-Creating Education”
• Booklet (including brief bios of the speakers)

“We view schools not as isolated buildings but as community hubs.”

[LMGlobal.Org] Ladies and gentlemen, fellow students,
 Good morning.
I’m here today not just as a student, but as someone who believes education can be different—more real, more connected, more useful.
 Too often, we learn from books rather than from life. We read about climate change yet do not measure local air quality. We study history but overlook the stories of our own streets. This situation can change, and in small ways, it already is.

We view schools not as isolated buildings but as community hubs. What if our science classes tested the water safety in the neighborhood and shared the data with a school experiencing water scarcity? What if our language students assisted in translating local clinic materials for newly – arrived families? Learning would become active and meaningful.

First, protect schools as essential infrastructure. Ensure that they remain open, safe, and powered during conflicts or disasters, with trained staff and emergency learning plans.
Second, use technology wisely, not just widely. UNESCO could help create a global platform where schools share open-source lesson plans in multiple languages. Let’s also set clear rules for ethical AI in education—no bias, no data misuse, and digital literacy taught from an early age.
Third, measure what matters. Alongside tests, track project impact, teamwork, and student – led solutions. Let’s pilot this in some schools first. Learn from it, and then scale up.
We’re not waiting. In our own schools, we’re starting gardens, building websites, and partnering with NGOs. We’re using education to understand the world and to improve it, right now.
We hope that you can support not only our words but also our work—through policies that protect, funds that empower, and technology that includes.
Let’s build an education system that doesn’t merely prepare us for the future but enables us to shape it right now. Thank you.

©2026, The Light Millennium Global – www.lmglobal.org