September 9 marks International Day to Protect Education from Attack
Baku, September 9, AZERTAC
“The Crossing” installation and launch event at UNESCO Headquarters commemorates the 7th Observance of the International Day to Protect Education from Attack, according to UNESCO.
Attacks on schools continue at an alarming rate in situations of armed conflict. In 2025, the United Nations verified 1,680 attacks on schools, and grave violations affecting 24,174 children, the highest number of children affected since monitoring began in 2005.
The International Day to Protect Education from Attack, observed every year on 9 September, was established by the UN General Assembly in 2020 to mobilize the international community to protect learners, teachers and education institutions affected by armed conflict. UNESCO is co-facilitating the Day, together with the State of Qatar and the Education Above All Foundation.
This year's global observance will take place on 9 September under the theme "Can education survive attack? The resilience of human communities." Education Above All had invited UNESCO and other partners to host "The Crossing", a public installation designed to bring the campaign into major diplomatic and policy spaces and raise awareness among Member States, decision-makers and visitors.
The installation is a temporary pedestrian crossing where each strip represents a year and the corresponding number of recorded attacks on schools, visually illustrating the sharp increase in attacks on schools over time.
The 2026 observance is particularly significant for UNESCO. Earlier this year, the Executive Board endorsed UNESCO's Preventative Plan of Action to Protect Education from Attack, providing the Organization with its first comprehensive framework to support Member States before, during and after crises through prevention, preparedness, response and recovery. The Plan also established a dedicated Special Account to mobilize voluntary contributions for its implementation.
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