Expo 2020, Dubai Cares collaborate to host global education summit

09 / 12 / 2019

By WAM - -

A ground-breaking global education summit to be held during Expo 2020 Dubai will reshape the global conversation on education, pushing the boundaries of current thinking to explore new approaches to global challenges.

RewirEd, a collaboration between Expo 2020 Dubai and Dubai Cares in close coordination with the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, will take place in March 2021 at Dubai Exhibition Center, DEC, co-located at the Expo 2020 site.

Convening more than 3,000 participants and supported by governments, global education stakeholders, strategic partners and the private sector, it will discuss the future of education in the global pursuit of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with a focus on three main issues in the education sector: financing, innovation as well as youth and future skills.

Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, Director-General of Expo 2020 Dubai Bureau, and Chairperson of Dubai Cares, said, “The UAE believes that investing in people’s welfare, knowledge, and capabilities produces the greatest dividends for individuals, families and communities as a whole.

“Education, which is the essence of human capital, drives our national priorities and is central to our international development strategy. We believe that now is the time to reshape the global conversation on education and this summit is the perfect platform to do so.”

Through a mix of high-level plenaries, technical workshops, TED-style talks, networking spaces and other side events, RewirEd will urge participants to rethink their attitudes towards education and explore entirely new approaches to global challenges, as well as offer participants a unique opportunity to agree on a shared vision and concrete action.

Marking the 10-year countdown to the deadline for the 2030 Global Agenda – a shared blueprint to eradicate poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change – RewirEd will serve as a timely reminder for countries to fast-track their efforts to achieve the SDG 4 on education, while also showcasing success stories from around the world and exploring how these could be scaled up for enhanced global impact.

Dr. Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Cares, said, “The global education sector is going through a transformation where business as usual will no longer be enough, and this requires urgent attention from all stakeholders around the world.

“This global summit on education constitutes an opportunity for global education actors to come together with a new way of thinking to tackle education challenges by putting forward radical but sustainable solutions, recognizing that education is the fundamental pillar for addressing all other Global Goals effectively.

“World leaders should seize this unique opportunity to deliver on their promise to increase support to education, as we aspire for this event to give hope and pave the way for vulnerable children and young people around the world to thrive in their future.”

Tackling global education challenges takes the collective power of all stakeholders, including governments international organisations, NGOs and the private sector, which has a vital role in linking education to developing employment skills, fostering entrepreneurship and connecting talents to markets.

Held during Expo 2020 Dubai, which includes 192 participating countries, alongside educational establishments, multilateral organisations, businesses and millions of visitors, RewirEd will actively engage all stakeholders and give them a stage to share their best practices and knowledge for the future.

The newly-formed Global Education Forum, GEF, which aims to ensure greater coherence and coordination in global education, will act as the high-level reference group for RewirEd and follow up on commitments and pledges made at the summit.

Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO and Co-Chair of the GEF, said, “Without quality education and lifelong learning for all, we will not succeed in addressing the challenges of our world. This requires investment, coordination and multilateralism; rethinking what and how we learn, with those who are on the frontlines and will be the actors and citizens of tomorrow: teachers and young people.”

The summit is seen as offering an important platform for both dialogue and action as the world ramps up efforts to meet the SDGs by the 2030 deadline.

Former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education and Co-Chair of the GEF, said, “RewirEd is a special and unique opportunity to refocus global attention towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 4 of inclusive and equitable quality education for all by 2030 and mobilise the partnerships needed to put the global community on track to unleash all the talents of all young people.”

RewirEd is the latest in a series of announcements of world-class events to be held at DEC during Expo, including the next edition of the World Government Summit, and is testament to the UAE’s growing commitment to lead efforts to address the global learning crisis.

“We are in the middle of a learning crisis,” said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore. “Despite tremendous progress over the years, millions of children are not enrolled in school and millions more are not learning the basics. Education is truly the best ladder out of poverty, that’s why we must tackle this learning crisis by empowering children and young people with the skills they need to contribute to their communities and thrive in today’s economy.”

Julia Gillard, former Prime Minister of Australia and board chair of the Global Partnership for Education, said: “Since joining the Global Partnership for Education in 2018, the UAE has contributed to shaping the lives of millions of children in the world’s poorest countries by getting them in school and learning. We are grateful for their partnership and are committed to working together with the UAE and Dubai Cares towards the realization of this important event.”

For six months from 20th October 2020 to 10th April 2021, Expo 2020 Dubai will put on the World’s Greatest Show of human brilliance and achievement – an unmissable celebration that will inspire everyone to create a better future for all.