President Sergio Mattarella on Wednesday stressed the importance of education for freedom and peace in his message for the International Day of Education.
"The theme of today's International Education Day, 'learning for lasting peace', shows how we must proceed in tackling the soaring wave of conflicts, violence, intolerance and hate speech that we are witnessing," the head of State said.
"Education is the key for understanding the value of the uniqueness of each person, the richness pluralism offers, the inviolability of fundamental liberties.
Knowledge is the first step towards mutual understanding and dialogue".
He president said ensuring quality, fair and inclusive education for all was an "urgent" challenge.
"At the dawn of the third millennium, hundreds of millions of children and teenagers still do not have the opportunity of beginning or completing their schooling," Mattarella said.
"Poverty, wars, social inequality and denied rights are factors that hinder access to education.
"Including the right to education in the fundamental rights of the individual - as envisaged by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child- is the first step that paves the way for effective educational paths that ensure access to information and knowledge, respect of freedom of expression and opinion, academic and scientific freedom.
"This is a challenge that must be addressed urgently.
"The international community has undertaken to achieve, by 2030, the goal of a quality, equitable and inclusive education for all, firmly convinced that an appropriate education is a pivotal factor for improving people's lives and for attaining sustainable development...
"Access to education must be a paramount goal of the institutions as they look to the younger generations, which must be given the opportunity to learn and develop".
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