The government today cleared a proposal for setting up the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainability Development, a UNESCO institute, here.

It will put India in the category of select countries with a category I institute of UNESCO. The institute’s establishment was recommended by UNESCO’s executive board at its 182nd session in September 2009 and approved by the 35th session of the General Conference of UNESCO in October 2009.

The Union Cabinet today approved the UNESCO’s recommendation in this regard. It will be set up at a cost of Rs 223.68 crore over a period of seven years.

Currently, there are 11 category I institutes of UNESCO in the world, out of which nine are located in the developed countries while the remaining two are in developing countries namely, Ethiopia and Venezuela.

“Further the development will serve as a platform for India to emerge as a global leader from the Asia-Pacific region in the areas of education for peace and sustainable development,” a government statement said.

The institute will be managed through an operational agreement between UNESCO and India, and will be administered by a 12-member governing board to approve programme and budget of the institute and give policy directions.

The governing board shall be assisted by a four-member executive committee including the chairperson, the statement said.

The institute will, among its other activities, strive to contribute to the peace education and sustainable development related research and capacity building needs of member states with focus on the Asia and the Pacific region, it added.

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