World Teachers' Day 2012: Take a stand for teachers!
“Take a stand for teachers!” is the slogan of World Teachers’ Day 2012 (5 October) which UNESCO is celebrating along with its partners, the International Labour Organization, UNDP, UNICEF and Education International (EI).
Taking a stand for the teaching profession means providing adequate training, ongoing professional development, and protection for teachers’ rights.
All over the world, a quality education offers hope and the promise of a better standard of living. However, there can be no quality education without competent and motivated teachers.
On this day, we call for teachers to receive supportive environments, adequate quality training as well as ‘safeguards’ for teachers’ rights and responsibilities...We expect a lot from teachers – they, in turn, are right to expect as much from us. This World Teachers’ Day is an opportunity for all to take a stand. 
Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director-General
About UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation is a specialized United Natio...
About EI
Education International is the voice of teachers and other education employees across the globe. A...
WTD video message
Click on read more to see EI General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen's video message for World Teachers...
RadioLabour feature on WTD
RadioLabour, the international labour movement's radio service, has interviewed Fred van Leeuwen, ...
Materials and statements
Click "Read more" to download resources pertaining to World Teachers' Day.
Teacher's rights
UNESCO has launched on their website an interactive map where you can tag your WTD2012 activity. H...
Statement by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on World Teachers' Day
World Teachers’ Day gives us an opportunity to celebrate the contributions of teachers across the globe. Education is recognized worldwide as the most important driver of economic growth and social change, and teachers are the ones leading the way.
World Teachers' Day - October 5th
CELEBRATE WORLD TEACHERS' DAY
NEA President, Dennis Van Roekel conmemorates World Teachers' Day and calls onCongress to pass the American Jobs Act
This year, on 5 October, World Teachers' Day will be celebrated around the world around the theme of "Teachers for gender equality".The day commemorates the signing of the 1966 and 1997 UNESCO Recommendations on the Status of Teachers and Higher Education Teaching Personnel.
We invite you to take part in the celebration of the teaching profession and the promotion of gender equality. Click here for the official website.
How can you participate?
Send an e-card on the World Teachers' Day website,
Join us on Twitter with the #wtd2011 hashtag,
Upload a photo of your favorite educator to our Flickr page,
Download a World Teachers' Day poster
Organise events around the theme. Take photos of your events and upload them onto the World Teachers' Day website.
On the Move for Gender Equity
Maria Teresa Cabrera, the first female president of the Dominican Teacher's Union is an example of how the Latin America Project on Equality with a Gender Perspective strengthens unions and builds capacity in achieving quality education for all.
Download our Pay Equity toolkit. Education International has prepared a toolkit to help you advocate for gender equality in the teaching profession, particularly equal pay for work of equal value. The kit consists of a template press release and letter to your government, as well as a briefing note on ILO Conventions and the most important facts about pay equity. You can download the toolkit here.
Tell world leaders and intergovernmental organisations about the situation of gender equality and the teaching profession in your country by joining UNESCO's online discussions. Your participation will certainly give them a realistic vision of the state of the teaching profession and gender issues in your country!