International Day of Education
Co-creating education with youth
International Day of Education 2026
On January 24th, 2026, we celebrate the International Day of Education. This year, UNESCO is putting young people at the heart of the conversation with a powerful theme: “The power of youth in co-creating education.”
At Odyssey Education, this vision resonates deeply: we see education as a collective project where students must be the protagonists of their own journey.
Why students must be the engine of change
To address global challenges, schools must become spaces where students express themselves and take action. In Odyssey Education group classrooms, this co-creation is at the heart of daily practices.
Choice as a driver for learning and responsibility
Whether in Moral and Civic Education (EMC) or during projects on autobiography, our students are encouraged to choose their own topics and presentation formats. This freedom of choice goes beyond the purely educational framework: it places students face-to-face with their own decisions. By learning to take ownership of their directions and justify their choices, students transform a classic school exercise into a personalized, authentic, and responsible project.
Asserting identity from an early age
In our schools, starting from kindergarten, the child’s voice is visible on the walls. Through artistic projects and personalized displays, our youngest learners assert their tastes and identity, thus laying the foundation for their self-confidence.
Learning to decide: co-creation as a school for autonomy
The autonomy we aim to instill in our students is acquired through action and real decision-making within the school.
French-style Kindergarten: a laboratory for autonomy
From the very first years, particularly in our “La Petite Ecole” model currently developed in Asia, students take on responsible roles: taking attendance, organizing the classroom, or managing suggestion boxes. This is where the journey toward citizenship begins.
Participating in representative bodies
Our High School (CVL) and Middle School (CVC) Student Councils are not just places for discussion, but bodies for action. Students debate, propose, and vote on projects that transform their daily lives.
Committing to specific causes
Whether they are eco-delegates for environmental protection, members of school catering committees to improve health and well-being, or participants in anti-bullying units, our students learn that their voice can change the lives of their community and their peers.
In action
Co-creation in action within the Odyssey Education Group
The strength of our international group allows us to give a global dimension to this commitment. Here are some inspiring examples of what students in Odyssey Education schools have accomplished this year:
Model United Nations (MUN)
stepping into the shoes of diplomats, our students are no longer spectators but active players in global issues, transforming geopolitical theory into a concrete experience of leadership and consensus-building. This dynamic drives our entire network, as seen with the high schoolers from the EFI Casablanca MUN Club who recently excelled at the MFINUE in Istanbul on the theme "Youth as Architects of a New Geopolitics," as well as at JUANRAMUN, where Nour El Houda El Moudden and Sara Hannioui received honorary mentions for their debates in multiple languages. Meanwhile, students from ISD Rome participate twice a year in exceptional conferences at UNESCO in Paris and the FAO in Rome, co-creating solutions for a more inclusive and equitable education at the very heart of the institutions shaping the future.
Assemblies
"Assemblies" are powerful moments where students take the floor in front of their peers to unite the community around themes they have chosen themselves. At La Petite Ecole in Singapore, students meet every term to discuss key topics related to the school's current events.
“Les Petits Lynx” Podcast, EFI Bucarest
A true student-led media project supported by civic service volunteers, this podcast has already produced four episodes. From electing the school mascot to the Upcycling Club, and even a special episode in Romanian about Christmas traditions, the students have mastered both the content and the technical side of their communication.
Solidarity in motion in Seville
For the second consecutive year, LFIS (Lycée Français International de Séville) vibrated to the rhythm of the "Run for South Africa." Initiated by the CVL (High School Student Council), this solidarity race brought together all levels, from preschool to 12th grade. By running in pairs (mixing older and younger students), our students illustrated the spirit of sharing and citizenship that lies at the very core of Odyssey’s DNA.
On this International Day of Education, we celebrate this bold youth. By co-creating their school, they are not just learning for the future: they are already taking action for the world.