Date/Time: 25 September 2019, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Location: Danny Kaye Room, UNICEF House, NY
In 2015, as part of the Sustainable Development Goals, the global community made a promise to reach all children with inclusive, equitable, and quality education by 2030 (SDG 4).
Yet, as we near the 10-year countdown to achieve these goals, we are far from reaching them. Much-needed funding for education has been waning. On current trends, 225 million young people will not be in school by 2030, depriving them of the necessary basic skills to access the labor market, combat poverty, improve their health and well-being, or build more stable, secure, and peaceful communities.
On the occasion of the 74th United Nations General Assembly and the first Sustainable Development Goal Summit, the international community will have the opportunity to move one step closer to achieving SDG 4 by supporting two of the most recent mechanisms for funding education globally: the Education Cannot Wait (ECW) fund and the International Finance Facility for Education (IFFEd).
Executive Director of UNICEF
Henrietta H. Fore became UNICEF’s seventh Executive Director on 1 January 2018. She has worked to champion economic development, education, health, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief in a public service, private sector and non-profit leadership career that spans more than four decades. Full bio.
United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education and former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
RT Hon Gordon Brown is the United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education and former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2007 to 2010 and is widely credited with preventing a second Great Depression through his stewardship of the 2009 London G20 summit. Full bio.
Director of Education Cannot Wait (ECW)
Yasmine Sherif is the Director of Education Cannot Wait (ECW) – a global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crisis established by the World Humanitarian Summit. A lawyer specialized in International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights Law (LL.M), she has 30 years of experience with the United Nations (UNHCR, UNDP, OCHA) and international NGOs, starting her international career in 1988. Full bio.
Chief Executive Officer of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE)
Alice P. Albright was appointed as the first Chief Executive Officer of the Global Partnership for Education’s Secretariat in February 2013. Since joining GPE, Ms. Albright has strengthened the position of GPE to be a major delivery agency of the Sustainable Development Goals agenda. Full bio.
UNESCO's Assistant Director-General for Education
Stefania Giannini was appointed Assistant Director-General for Education in May 2018, becoming the top United Nations official in the field of education. In this position, she provides strategic vision and leadership for UNESCO’s Education Sector in coordinating and monitoring the implementation of the Education 2030 Agenda, encapsulated in Sustainable Development Goal 4. Full bio.
Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council
Jan Egeland has been the Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council since August 2013, a role which oversees the work of the humanitarian organisation in 32 countries affected by conflict and disaster. Full bio.
UN Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees
Kelly T. Clements joined UNHCR as Deputy High Commissioner on 6 July 2015. Clements has been closely involved with refugee and displacement issues throughout her three decade career. Full bio.
Permanent Secretary of the UK's Department for International Development
Matthew Rycroft has been the Permanent Secretary at the Department for International Development since 22 January 2018.
Matthew was previously the British Permanent Representative to the United Nations from April 2015 to January 2018. Full bio.
Winner of the Global Teacher Prize 2019 and Education Cannot Wait’s Champion for Children in Conflicts and Crises.
Peter Tabichi is Education Cannot Wait’s Champion for Children in Conflicts and Crises. He is a science teacher whose dedication, hard work and passionate belief in his student’s talent has led his poorly-resourced school in remote rural Kenya to emerge victorious after taking on the country’s best schools in national science competitions. Full bio.
Minister of Education, Afghanistan
Dr. Mohammad Mirwais Balkh joined Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in May 2013 and served as the head of Africa and Middle East Desk in the Center for Strategic Studies (CSS) and as the Chief Editor of the CSS’ Quarterly Journal of Strategic Studies.
European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management
Christos Stylianides is a Cypriot politician who is the European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management since November 1, 2014. On October 24th, 2014 he was appointed as the European Union’s Ebola Coordinator by the European Council.
Norwegian Minister of International Development
Dag-Inge Ulstein is a Norwegian politician, and was appointed Minister of International Development in Prime Minister Solberg’s cabinet in January 2019. Mr Ulstein is deeply committed to the work to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), international solidarity and justice.
Minister (Head of Sustainable Development and Humanitarian Affairs) at Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations
Christine Schneeberger is the Minister for Sustainable Development and Humanitarian Affairs at the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations. Prior to her role as Minister, Schneeberger served as Deputy Head, Equal Opportunities and Global Women’s Issues, at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs from 2011 to 2015.
Director-General International Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Netherlands
Kitty van der Heijden assumed the position of Director-General of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Netherlands, in August 2019.
Prior to this, Van der Heijden had been working at the World Resources Institute since 2014. In her previous position as Vice-President, Director Africa and Europe, she led the work on both continents, based in Ethiopia.
Global Director For Education, World Bank
Dag-Inge Ulstein is a Norwegian politician, and was appointed Minister of International Development in Prime Minister Solberg’s cabinet in January 2019. Mr Ulstein is deeply committed to the work to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), international solidarity and justice.
President, Rockefeller Foundation
Dr Shah was appointed as President of the Rockefeller Foundation in January 2017, bringing over 20 years of experience in business and philanthropy to the role.
Appointed by President Obama in 2009, Dr Shah served as the 16th Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, from 2010 to 2015.
Director General, Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department, Asian Development Bank
Mr. Um leads Asian Development Bank-wide knowledge management and innovation in various thematic and sector operation areas. He is responsible for developing sector and thematic policies, strategies, frameworks and operational plans, encouraging vibrant sector and thematic communities of practice, and developing new business ideas.
Chairman and Non-Executive Director, Goldman Sachs International
José Manuel is chairman and non-executive director of Goldman Sachs International and a Senior Advisor to Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs.
Ambassador of Ethiopia to the United States
Fitsum Arega is an Ethiopian diplomat who is the current Ethiopian Ambassador to the United States. He was the Director General of the Ethiopian Investment Commission and the Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister of Ethiopia.
Ambassador of Mozambique to the United States
Carlos Dos Santos commenced his role as Mozambique’s ambassador to the United States on January 28, 2016. It’s the fourth such posting for Dos Santos, a career member of his country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Director of International Affairs, ProFuturo Foundation and Telefonica Foundation
Sofia Fernandez de Mesa Echeverria is currently the Director of International Affairs at ProFuturo Foundation and Telefonica Foundation. Prior to this, she held the position of Managing Director at ProFuturo.
Danish Minister for Development Cooperation
Rasmus Prehn has been a Member of the Danish Parliament since 2005, and was appointed to his current position as Minister for Development Cooperation in June 2019.
From 2006, he served as the Science and Research Mayor, and from 2011 was the Transport Mayor. Prior to entering Parliament, Prehn has previously been a high school social sciences teacher.
Executive Secretary, Intergovernmental Authority on Development
Mr Mahboub M. Maalim is a Kenyan diplomat, and currently serves as the Executive Secretary for the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). In this role he has led the launch of the IGAD Drought Resilience and Sustainability Initiative, and oversaw the IGAD Mediation process for South Sudan that culminated with the signing of the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (ARCSS) in August 2015.
Member of the German Bundestag
Dr Flachsbarth has been a Member of the German Parliament since 2002, and has served in her role as Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, since March 2018.
Deputy Administrator of the US Agency for International Development
Bonnie Glick serves as Deputy Administrator of the US Agency for International Development. Ms. Glick was most recently the Deputy Secretary of the Maryland State Department of Aging, where she was appointed by Governor Larry Hogan.
Minister for the Diaspora & International Development, Ireland
Ciarán Cannon is Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade with special responsibility for the Diaspora and International Development. He is a TD representing Galway East. Ciarán is formerly the Minister for Training & Skills at the Department of Education & Skills. He was first elected to Dáil Eireann in February 2011.
Chief Executive Officer, The LEGO Foundation
In April 2017, John Goodwin joined the LEGO Foundation as Chief Executive Officer. The LEGO Foundation is on a mission to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow. The Foundation wants to build a future in which learning through play empowers children to become creative, engaged, life-long learners.
Former President of Tanzania<br />
His Excellency President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete was first elected to the Fourth President of the United Republic of Tanzania on 14 December 2005, and in 2010 he was re-elected for the second term. In his more than 30 years of public service, President Kikwete served in different party, military and government positions.
Minister of Finance, Ghana
Hon Ken Ofori-Atta, assumed office as Ghana’s Finance Minister on January 27, 2017. He brings to the Ministry over 30 years’ experience in Ghanaian and international financial sector.
Vice Minister, Economic Relations Division, Ministry of Finance, Bangladesh
Mr. Monowar Ahmed was promoted to Secretary to the Government and posted to the Economic Relations Division (ERD), Ministry of Finance on 26 May 2019. Earlier he was Secretary in-charge of ERD from 25 October 2018.
News Anchor at CNN International
Globally renowned actor and high-profile advocate for education
Singer/artist and Global Citizen Ambassador
Sesame Street character