Eliane El Haber: Building a Global Movement for Quality Education

Ladderworks is a publishing platform of diverse picture books and online curriculum with the mission to empower over a million kids to become social entrepreneurs. Our current series features interviews by our interplanetary journalist Spiffy with inspiring Social Entrepreneurs, Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Builders, and Changemakers who are advancing the UN SDGs.

Spiffy here with the scoop on the entrepreneurial leaders of Planet Earth. As the only interplanetary journalist stationed on this blue planet, I’m thrilled to present this galactic exclusive with Eliane El Haber, executive committee member of UNESCO SDG4 Youth and Student Network. Let’s learn what’s happening at UNESCO SDG4 Youth and Student Network  and how Eliane is making a positive impact in the world.

Spiffy: Thanks for joining me, Eliane! Tell me, what challenge are you addressing through UNESCO SDG4 Youth and Student Network?

Eliane: Thanks for having me, Spiffy! The SDG4 Youth and Student Network is a platform for youth and student organizations that is inclusive and geared to ensure meaningful involvement in influencing international education policies. Students and young professionals who are actively working within youth and student organizations in their local and national communities to improve the quality and accessibility of education are members of the SDG4 Youth and Student Network.

Spiffy: What motivates you to do it?

Eliane: I personally struggled a lot during my education path, and I decided to turn the struggles into a cause I advocated for and actions I took, and that's what keeps motivating me. If only one person is helped and supported to get the education they need and deserve, it is worth it.

Spiffy: What is the impact of your work?

Eliane: We are building a movement for quality education that involves as many youth and students as possible within the network and beyond. Together, they are joining forces and raising their voices, asking for a quality education for everyone. The network is also among the platforms that consistently demand that political agendas place a priority on education.

Spiffy: Tell me about a recent organization milestone or initiative. What impact does it make on your audience/community?

Eliane: We worked closely with the UN Youth Envoy Office and other partners to create the Youth Declaration on Transforming Education. A declaration that represents the contributions of about 500,000 young people from roughly 170 different nations. The Youth Declaration on Transforming Education included the demands and commitments of young people and was presented as young people’s input to the Transforming Education Summit Chair summary/Secretary-General’s vision statement.

Spiffy: Is there anything else you would love to tell our audience?

Eliane: This is something I always say; We owe it to ourselves and our communities to believe in our purpose and the passion we have within, whether it's related to education or any other cause we believe in or advocate for. We need to listen to it, and we need to use all the skills we have, and learn all the skills needed to turn this passion into action and impact.

Spiffy: Thanks for speaking with me today, Eliane—it’s been an honor!

Eliane El Haber is a young woman from Lebanon. Her educational background is in management and psychology. Eliane works on research focusing on curriculum and education system reforms. She is a junior consultant at UNESCO IESALC and is a member of the UNESCO SDG4 Youth & Student Network's executive committee. (First published on the Ladderworks website on September 08, 2023.)

The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect those of Ladderworks LLC.

© 2023 Ladderworks LLC. Edited by Shikha Tandon. Spiffy’s illustration by Shreyas Navare. For the Ladderworks digital curriculum to help K-3 kids advance the UN SDGs, visit Spiffy's Launchpad: Creative Entrepreneurship Workshops for K-3 Kids and their caregivers here.