In March 2020, classrooms from Seoul to São Paulo and Nairobi to New York fell silent, sending 1.6 billion learners home. Screens lit up as laptops became classrooms and phones became teachers. For many, it felt like a rescue; for others, it revealed inequalities long ignored.   In this episode of UNESCO Reads, we revisit this unprecedented global shift, when educational technologies suddenly became the backbone of learning. And we explore how this moment reshaped childhoods, strained systems, and transformed what it meant to teach and to learn. Featuring Mark West (author of UNESCO’s book An Ed-Tech Tragedy), Declan Qualter (PhD candidate at University College Dublin) and Daniel Schwartz (publisher at Routledge). Prepared by Diana Sharafieva and Isabelle Le Fournis. Produced by Emmanuel Rudowski. Voiced by Diana Sharafieva. Photo: © UNESCO/Eleni Debo and Rob Dobi You can buy the publication on the UNESCO Shop (https://shop.unesco.org/products/an-ed-tech-tragedy-educational-technologies-and-school-closures-in-the-time-of-covid-19). Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Every day, invisible pollutants are seeping into our rivers, lakes, and oceans — threatening ecosystems, human health, and our shared future. In this episode of UNESCO Reads, discover how scientists, policy experts, and young researchers are joining forces to tackle emerging pollutants and protect water quality for generations to come. Featuring Sarantuyaa Zandaryaa (UNESCO), Gabriel Eckstein (Texas A&M University), and Vinicius Diniz (University of Surrey). Prepared by Diana Sharafieva and Isabelle Le Fournis. Produced by Emmanuel Rudowski. Voiced by Diana Sharafieva. Photo: © Spice Footage/Shutterstock.com (http://Shutterstock.com) You can buy the publication on the UNESCO Shop (https://shop.unesco.org/products/emerging-pollutants-protecting-water-quality-for-the-health-of-people-and-the-environment). Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.