Paris, October 2 {No.2000-94} - On the occasion of World Teachers' Day, celebrated October 5, UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura; International Labour Organization (ILO) Director-General Juan Somavía; United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator Mark Malloch Brown; and UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy launched a joint message entitled World Teachers' Day 2000: Expanding Horizons.

Here is the full text of the message:

"On World Teachers' Day 2000, we wish to pay homage to the role of teachers in expanding the learner's horizons and also to put the spotlight on the expanding horizons for teachers in the new knowledge society of the 21st century.

"Before undertaking any type of learning, no matter how early or late in life, the student almost always has an idea of where the process will lead. But it is only after a person's education is underway that new vistas of activity, ability and understanding start coming into view. Time and time again, this expanding horizon is thanks to an experienced teacher. Most people have areas of interest or skills that became central to their lives after a teacher introduced them to a subject they may otherwise never have encountered. Today's rapidly changing world requires people to draw increasingly upon their education, not only in terms of their level of knowledge, but also in terms of the skills that allow them to adapt to change. Around the world, teachers are helping students to learn how to become successful life-long learners, always able to broaden their horizons.

"A changing world environment that puts new emphasis on knowledge and learning skills also expands the horizons of the teaching profession. Teachers are adopting new approaches, new attitudes and new understanding of the teaching-learning process. They are acquiring new teaching methods making best use of new education technologies. Teachers are educating an expanding range of learners from increasingly varied backgrounds, of different ages and with more varied needs. The teaching and learning horizon is also expanding significantly in the area of values education - such as environmental education, human rights and peace education, health education - which contributes to a broader notion of the fundamental aims of education.

"Today we pay homage to the professional commitment of teachers who, despite sometimes poor working conditions, limited resources and inadequate remuneration, help the world move forward. Teachers need the active support of the communities and societies that they serve. On the occasion of World Teachers' Day, we appeal to the world community, to governments, parliamentarians, parents, community leaders, the media, non-governmental organizations, civil society institutions, the private sector, educational institutions, teachers' unions and associations to renew their commitment of support to teachers. We call for the implementation of the guidelines on good practices contained in the 1966 ILO-UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers and in the 1997 UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Higher Education Teaching Personnel. This is the best way of showing support for teachers, who are and will remain in this new century the core of the education system."