Yesterday, Global Education leaders convened at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris to assess transformative education actions and accelerate progress on Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4)– ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Co-Chairs of the SDG4 High-Level Steering Committee H.E. Mr. Gabriel Boric, President of Chile (pictured), and Ms. Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General, opened the convening. Also in attendance were Ministers of Education, notably H.E. Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum for Ghana, Ministers of Finance and International Cooperation, and SDG4 High-Level Steering Committee (HLSC) members. Our Co-CEO Simon Sommer, who shares the seat for Foundations and Private Sector Representative on the HLSC with Ms. Dina Ghobashy, Director of Global Education Transformation at Microsoft, were also in attendance.
Attendees assessed country progress towards SDG 4, exchanging new insights on building the education systems of the future and showcasing transformative actions undertaken by Member States in education since the United Nations Transforming Education Summit in September 2022. Ms. Stefania Giannini, the UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education, discussed how to translate country commitments into actions.
The high-level event focused on four key topics:
- Transforming Education Stocktake: assessing country progress toward SDG 4 and highlighting transformative actions by the Member States since the Transforming Education Summit;
- Innovative financing: investigating innovative financing mechanisms for education and leveraging country experiences, including debt conversions;
- Global Initiatives: promoting dialogue on acceleration strategies for education in the run up to 2030;
- Education as a Catalyst for the 2030 Agenda: reinforcing the global political importance of education, setting the stage for the World Social Summit in 2025.
During a statement made at the HLSC meeting, Simon emphasized how innovative forms of collaboration and blended finance must be harnessed to ensure quality education:
The meeting was the first of a series of 2024 global convenings that aim to advance SDG4. Keep your eyes peeled for our insights from the High-Level Political Forum at the United Nations Headquarters in New York in July, the Summit of the Future in September, and the Global Education Meeting in October.