Learning to know lays the foundations of learning throughout life. This pillar refers to the basic knowledge that we need to be able to understand our environment and to live in dignity. It is also about arousing curiosity, allowing us to experience the pleasures of research and discovery.
Learning to do refers to the acquisition of practical skills, but also to an aptitude
for teamwork and initiative, and a readiness to take risks. As such, this
pillar is about the competence of putting what we have learned into practice so
as to act creatively on our environment. A variety of situations, often
unforeseeable, is bound to arise.
Learning to live together is the pillar that the UNESCO Commission emphasizes more than any other. It refers first of all to developing an understanding of others through dialogue-leading to empathy, respect, and appreciation. Yet if we are to understand others, we must first know ourselves. Learning to live together is thus also about recognizing our growing interdependence, about experiencing shared purposes, and about implementing common projects and a joint future. Only then will it be possible to manage the inevitable conflicts in a peaceful way.