During the final week of Edinburgh’s 2025 festival season, SIDA members and partners were part of a powerful series of events focussed on Global Citizenship Education. It was a week of reflection, dialogue, and most importantly, action.
Across three festivals, we explored how global citizenship education empowers young people, and all of us, to navigate the challenges of today’s world with confidence, compassion, and critical thinking. Across the events, we came together to explore real challenges and highlight the vital role education plays in shaping a more informed and connected society and a fairer world.
Day 1: Repairing the world – Edinburgh International Book Festival
We kicked things off in the Discovery Zone at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. With Scotdec leading the way, primary and secondary school students came to explore the theme of repair – not just of things, but of relationships, communities, and the world we share.
Through thought-provoking activities, students examined what it means to take responsibility, to heal harm, and to imagine a better future.
The message was clear: no one is too young to be a changemaker.
Day 2: Navigating truth – Festival of Politics
Next, an important panel at the Festival of Politics tackled one of the most urgent issues of our time: disinformation and misinformation.
Hosted by David McGill, Clerk of the Scottish Parliament, the panel featured Faith Bateman (West of Scotland Development Education Centre, and a member of our GCE Community), Mark Frankel (Full Fact), Rachel Amery (The Scotsman), and Scott Mackay (Scottish Youth Film Foundation). Together, we explored how essential it is for digital literacy and critical thinking to be embedded across the curriculum – and how misinformation threatens not just knowledge, but the health of our democracies.
We were reminded that if we want informed, active citizens, young people and the wider community must be equipped with the tools to question, investigate, and understand the information that shapes their world.
Day 3: Young people, global voices – Beyond Borders International Festival
Finally, we joined the Beyond Borders International Festival, where young people from Peebles High School participated in Scotdec-led workshops after hearing from and interviewing global humanitarians and peacebuilders.
Their curiosity, insight, and conviction were striking. Energised by their involvement in the Model UN Club at school and supported by their committed teachers, these students showed us what global citizenship looks like in action. They’re not just leaders of tomorrow, they’re leaders today.
Why Global Citizenship Education matters now more than ever
In a world facing deep division, ecological crisis, and the rising tide of misinformation, global citizenship education isn’t optional, it’s essential.
It empowers young people (and all of us) to:
- Think critically about the world around us
- Understand global interdependence
- Defend the processes and institutions that hold those in power accountable
- Act ethically and with empathy
- Challenge injustice
- Shape a fairer, more sustainable future
The young people we met last week didn’t just engage, they inspired. Their energy and vision are a call to all of us to do better, learn more, and stand up for what matters.
However, once well-funded and widely supported, global citizenship education (GCE) has faced cuts across Scotland and especially across the rest of the UK. This loss is quietly contributing to growing divisions, rising isolationism, and declining public support for overseas development work.
We urgently need to reverse this trend by securing stronger political backing and increased funding for GCE. Now more than ever, this education is critical.
What’s next?
Whether you’re a development worker, student, teacher, policymaker, community leader, or simply someone who wants to make a difference, you can take action to change this by:
- Joining our Global Citizenship Community to connect with practitioners and advocates.
- Becoming a member of SIDA to support and amplify this work.
- Writing to your MP or MSP to champion the importance of global citizenship education.
- Join us at our annual conference where we will be exploring these themes further.