Every year on October 5, the world pauses to recognize the importance of the teaching profession. Since 1994, UNESCO, in collaboration with UNICEF, the International Labour Organization (ILO), and Education International, has organized World Teachers’ Day (WTD).
This date commemorates the signing, in 1966, of the ILO/UNESCO Recommendation, which established essential benchmarks regarding teachers’ rights, responsibilities, training, and working conditions. A complementary recommendation, adopted in 1997, extended these protections to higher education teaching and research personnel.
A vital role in our societies
The theme chosen for 2025 by the Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF/FCE) is:
“Working to Make Life Better.”
Indeed, teachers do far more than deliver knowledge:
- They accompany students on their personal and academic journeys.
- They support families in their everyday challenges.
- They enrich communities by shaping the citizens of tomorrow.
Their influence extends well beyond the classroom walls. World Teachers’ Day is therefore a unique moment to pay tribute to their dedication, creativity, and courage, while also reflecting on the conditions needed to allow them to fully carry out their mission.
Education at the Heart of the SNJM Mission
L101_Classe_Eleves_1954-Archives SNJM | École Madeleine de Verchères
For the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary (SNJM), a congregation founded in 1843 in Longueuil and dedicated to the education of young girls in rural areas, this day holds particular significance. Inspired by their foundress, Blessed Marie-Rose Durocher, they sought to educate the whole person—mind, heart, and spirit—helping each one to play an active role within their families and communities.
Throughout their history, the SNJM sisters have witnessed the importance of support networks surrounding teachers. Many sisters provided complementary roles—organizing activities, offering educational assistance, or managing administrative tasks—enabling teachers to devote themselves more fully to their mission.
SNJM_St. Rose primary school
This presence continues today, particularly in Lesotho, where SNJM sisters remain active in schools. World Teachers’ Day is an opportunity to honor these women educators and all those who, often working quietly in the background, contributed to providing generations of young people with a solid education.
A Global Celebration
World Teachers’ Day is marked by numerous local, national, and international events. It celebrates the invaluable contributions of teachers and invites us to reflect on the future of this profession in a rapidly changing world.
On October 5, 2025, let us take the time to thank all those who, through their vocation and commitment, work every day to make life better.