Education Above All Marks International Day to Protect Education from Attack

By the Editorial Team · Thursday, September 10, 2026

The Education Above All Foundation commemorated the International Day to Protect Education from Attack by highlighting a sharp rise in violence against schools, reporting over 9,200 attacks and more than 10,600 affected education personnel in 2024–2025. This underscores the urgent need for resilient education systems and comprehensive measures—including preparedness, alternative learning, and accountability—to safeguard the rights and futures of students and educators in conflict zones.

The Education Above All Foundation marked the International Day to Protect Education from Attack on September 9, emphasizing the critical need to safeguard educational environments from the growing threats posed by conflict, war, displacement, and insecurity worldwide. Established in 2020 following a United Nations General Assembly resolution introduced by the State of Qatar and championed by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, the day draws attention to the millions of students, teachers, and education personnel whose right to learning is compromised by violence.

The 2026 observance focused on the theme “Can Education Survive Attack? The Resilience of Human Communities,” highlighting the capacity of education systems, communities, and families to maintain learning despite adverse circumstances. It also underscored the importance of preparedness, adaptation, recovery, and accountability measures to ensure continuity of education during and after attacks.

According to the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack’s Education Under Attack 2026 report, at least 9,259 attacks on schools, universities, and related educational facilities occurred in 2024 and 2025. This figure represents an increase of more than 50 percent compared to the previous reporting period. These incidents resulted in harm to at least 10,600 students, teachers, professors, and education workers. The report identified Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Palestine, and Ukraine as the countries with the highest incidence of attacks on education. Additionally, more than 2,100 cases of military use of educational facilities were recorded during this period.

Mohammed Al Kubaisi, chief executive officer of Education Above All Foundation, stated that while education can endure attacks, it requires building resilient systems designed to withstand these challenges. He emphasized that schools should not be targets, teachers are not combatants, and the futures of children must not be treated as collateral damage. He called for a comprehensive approach that goes beyond post-attack reconstruction to include preparedness, alternative education pathways, psychosocial support, and accountability for perpetrators.

To mark the day, Education Above All and its partners unveiled a visual installation called The Crosswalk in Paris and Geneva. The Crosswalk uses pedestrian-crossing stripes as a timeline to illustrate verified attacks on educational institutions over the years, with each stripe representing a year and the corresponding number of attacks. In Paris, the installation was showcased at UNESCO Headquarters from September 9 to 13, accompanied by a digital display with key data, campaign messages, and links to UNESCO’s Preventative Plan of Action to Protect Education from Attack.

In Geneva, the Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Office hosted a high-level event at the Palais des Nations, convening government officials, UN agencies, and international organizations to reinforce global cooperation in protecting education from violence and military use during conflicts.

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