Fifteen student leaders from Metropolitan Lima presented the Student Agenda 2025–2026, a document built from the voices of adolescents and youth representing more than two million students in the capital. The presentation took place during the event “Our voices in the futures of education,” organized by the Metropolitan Lima Regional Education Directorate (DRELM) and UNESCO in Peru, for International Education Day, which this year highlights the power of youth in co-creating education.
The student-led space opened an intergenerational dialogue on the importance of the active participation of adolescents and youth in the education system and in public policy-making. In Peru, nearly 25% of the population is young—over 8 million people—and around 10% of the electorate will be first-time young voters in the upcoming general elections, reinforcing the need to strengthen civic engagement and leadership.
As UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany stated for International Education Day, education systems are more relevant when designed with the participation of those they are meant to serve, and UNESCO advocates for greater youth involvement in education policy and decision-making.
In line with this approach, the UNESCO Youth Report 2026, “Leading with Youth”, highlights student participation as a key condition for fair, relevant, and democratic education systems, recognizing youth as agents of change and proposing a global measure of their participation in decision-making for the first time.
“The ability to imagine futures is not naïve: it directly challenges those of us working in education. Youth are claiming a legitimate place in education conversations, and their voices must be heard and taken seriously,” said UNESCO Representative in Peru Guiomar Alonso Cano during the meeting.
On the other hand, the Student Agenda 2025–2026 identifies four priority areas defined by students: violence-free coexistence, emotional well-being, comprehensive sexuality education, and active citizenship for transformation, reflecting their main concerns and aspirations for a safer, more democratic, and relevant school environment.
DRELM pedagogical advisor Clara Preciado highlighted the Student Agenda as a tool for educational transformation, stating that it is a roadmap built from student experience that strengthens school coexistence, promotes well-being, and fosters rights-based and participatory education.
The meeting also included a discussion on the “Learning Without Barriers” program, aimed at strengthening more inclusive schools and safe learning environments in Lima and La Libertad. The initiative is funded by Education Cannot Wait and led by RET in partnership with Asoventru, Plan International, and UNESCO Peru.
On this International Education Day, the message is clear: young people must have a seat at the decision-making table, not only as beneficiaries but as full partners.
READ MORE: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-peru-and-drelm-promote-dialogue-students-metropolitan-lima?hub=701
