In 2009, the UNESCO General Conference decided to set up an institute focused on education for peace and sustainable development in the vast and rapidly growing Asia-Pacific region. In 2012, the former Director-General of UNESCO, Ms. Irina Bokova and The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, launched the Institute. Initially a two-member team operated out of the UNESCO office in New Delhi. Over time, the team has expanded to over 30 members and works out of its independent office in central Delhi.
UNESCO MGIEP focuses on achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goal 4.7 towards education for building peaceful and sustainable societies across the world by developing programmes and products that promote social and emotional learning, innovate digital pedagogies and empower the youth.

UNESCO MGIEP‘s Social Emotional Learning (SEL) interventions draw on the science of learning and aim to build intellectual and emotional intelligence among learners through innovative pedagogies.