World Teachers' Day is Oct. 5, and since 1967, this day has been promoted by Education International, UNESCO and others as an opportunity to give recognition to teachers worldwide. The campaign this year focuses on working conditions, using the motto, "Better working conditions for teachers mean better learning conditions for learners." The campaign is part of EI's ongoing theme of "Quality Teachers for Quality Education." Education International has identified six key demands for World Teachers Day: A decent working environment; a living wage; equal pay and equal rights for women teachers; initial and ongoing professional development; involvement in policy-making; and collective bargaining to defend and enhance teachers' rights. For details on the campaign, go to http://www.ei-ie.org/worldteachersday/en/index.php.

This year's World Teachers' Day theme connects well to the AFT's Building Minds, Minding Buildings campaign http://www.aft.org/topics/building-conditions/index.htm, which seeks to draw public attention to this growing problem of school building conditions and effort to build, renovate and modernize school buildings in their communities.