How can we encourage more young people to enter teaching and remain in the profession? That was one of the questions at the heart of Young Teaching Talent Week, held from 9 to 12 June 2026 in Madrid, Spain, which brought together young educators, specialists and actors from the education ecosystem to reflect on the challenges and opportunities currently facing the teaching profession.
In this context, ten representatives from Latin America were selected to take part in an intensive learning and international exchange experience as part of the partnership between the UNESCO Regional Office in Santiago and the Princess of Girona Foundation.
The teachers selected to participate were Liliana Cariño, Eric Esparza and Daniela Velázquez (Mexico); Sandy Paz (Guatemala); María Fernanda Pariona, Mauricio Campos Meza, Ada Mora Gilgrados and Oscar Guerrero (Peru); Estefanía Marcano (Venezuela); and Alexis Pacheco (Ecuador).
During the four-day programme, participants took part in learning, dialogue and collaborative work spaces focused on educational leadership, teacher well-being, pedagogical innovation, and the challenges currently facing the profession.
In this context, Francisco Miguens Campos, Education Specialist at the UNESCO Regional Office in Santiago, took part in the opening session and presented a reflection on the transformations currently affecting the teaching profession and the strategic role of new generations of educators.
During his remarks, he highlighted that, in the face of teacher shortages, technological acceleration and growing social expectations of education, it is a priority to create conditions that make it possible to attract, develop and retain young talent in the profession. He also stressed the need to strengthen the leadership, participation and capacity for influence of young teachers as drivers of educational innovation.
“Learning knows no borders, and the Ibero-American space constitutes a community of cooperation and shared construction of knowledge and practices. Thanks to the partnership between the Princess of Girona Foundation and UNESCO, young teachers from Latin America gain access to high-quality training experiences, strengthen their capacities, and expand their opportunities to lead processes of educational transformation in their communities. This collaboration demonstrates the enormous value of partnerships in broadening opportunities and promoting a teaching profession that is more attractive, innovative and connected to the challenges of our time,” said Miguens.
Young Teaching Talent Week also marked the conclusion of a new edition of Generación Pro(f)e, a programme led by the Princess of Girona Foundation to strengthen young teaching talent through the development of competencies related to socio-educational leadership, emotional well-being, educational technologies, artificial intelligence and new pathways for professional development.
The 2026 edition included, for the first time, significant participation from Latin America thanks to the collaboration with UNESCO. In total, 60 teachers and student teachers from 12 countries in the region had previously taken part in the virtual training programme held between February and May.
UNESCO’s participation in this initiative forms part of the implementation of the Regional Teacher Strategy for Latin America and the Caribbean 2025–2030, which seeks to strengthen the teaching profession, promote educational leadership and expand opportunities for those who teach.
READ MORE: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/young-teachers-latin-america-took-part-young-teaching-talent-week-madrid?hub=701
