RewirED, the global platform that aspires to drive the conversation about the future of education, has unveiled the preliminary agenda and a spectacular speaker line-up for its highly anticipated RewirEd Summit, which will take place at Expo 2020 Dubai as part of Knowledge and Learning Week.
The RewirEd Summit, the most important in-person global education gathering since the Covid-19 pandemic, is set to bring together Heads of State, Ministers, high-profile speakers and panellists from United Nations (UN) agencies, international NGOs, academia, youth, and representatives from the public and private sectors from around the world to forge new connections and collaborations for a new way forward in the field of education.
Key international organisations have joined forces with the RewirEd Summit to make the event a success. These include UNICEF, UNESCO, UNHCR, the World Economic Forum (WEF), the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), Education Cannot Wait (ECW), the World Food Programme (WFP), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the World Bank and the Office of the UN Special Envoy for Global Education.
Stellar in-person speakers, including HE Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, HE Reem Bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy and Rt. Hon. Gordon Brown
An Urgent Need for a Seismic Shift in Education Globally
Dr Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer and Vice-Chairman at Dubai Cares, said: “The RewirEd Summit in Dubai represents a unique opportunity for the global education community to come together to jump-start and scale the positive and bold change we want to see in education. The education community is realising that now, more than ever, especially because of the large-scale disruption to education globally due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there is an urgent need for a seismic shift in education globally. We at Dubai Cares are proud to be spearheading this movement towards a global change.
“We are delighted to bring together, for the first time in one place, some of the most prolific minds in the education sector to deliver a programme that will be both thought-provoking and challenging to the way we think about education. Over the course of the three-day flagship event, we will tackle some of the most pressing issues when it comes to forging a new path forward for education, so that it puts forward a new framework for creating an innovative, prosperous, sustainable and inclusive future for all.”
“Omar Shehadeh, Chief International Participants Officer at Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “The world is witnessing an unprecedented disruption of educational systems. Creative thinking, innovative solutions and technology must be deployed to ensure quality education for all. The RewirEd Summit, which is the flagship event during Expo2020 Dubai’s Knowledge and Learning Week, provides a platform to spark conversation among different people in efforts to generate new ideas on how to tackle the future of education.”
Expo Flagship event will reveal entirely new approaches to rewire education globally and create a sustainable, inclusive future for all
Stellar Speaker Line-Up and Content-Rich Agenda
Speakers include HE Jakaya Kikwete, Former President of Tanzania; Rt. Hon. Gordon Brown, the UN’s Special Envoy for Global Education and former UK Prime Minister; HE Shamma Al Mazrui, UAE Minister of State for Youth Affairs; and Bob Moritz, Global Chairman of PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Youth, Skills, and the Future of Work; Innovation in Education; and Education Financing will be the focus of the summit. Across these three pillars, there will be an emphasis on where the greatest need exists, especially in crisis-affected countries.
Day One – Youth, Skills and the Future of Work
On Day One, there will be high-level panels on topics such as the Future of Jobs and Skills and the Future of Tertiary Education, as well as key technical seminars on topics like developing entrepreneurial mindsets among youngsters in schools and Green Skills for Green Jobs.
High-level speakers include HE Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation of the UAE and Director General of Expo 2020 Dubai; Hon. David Sengeh, Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education and Chief Innovation Officer of Sierra Leone; Alan Jope, CEO Unilever; and Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director at the World Economic Forum (WEF).
The RewirEd Provocations, a series of co-designed ideas to help move current thinking from the usual to the unusual and address systemic, complex, and structural challenges impacting the education system, will be unveiled as part of the global education gathering’s promise to push boundaries and disrupt systems.
Day Two – Innovation in Education
The second day will focus on how the world can develop new and scalable solutions to ensure that children and youth from all walks of life may create solid foundations for lifelong learning and wellbeing.
Several thought-provoking sessions will discuss practical steps on transformative change, including two masterclass sessions on Youth Digital Champions for Foundational Literacy and Numeracy; and Diversity of Diversity: The Power of Children’s Storybooks in Fostering Inclusive Communities. In addition, the African Union is hosting their Innovation in Education Africa pitch, where five of Africa’s most promising Education Innovations will be pitched to a highly experienced panel of judges.
Global leaders to attend groundbreaking education summit from 12 to 14 December at Expo 2020, Dubai Exhibition Centre
Day Three – Education Financing
The third day emphasises the importance of placing education at the centre of human growth and investment, particularly in light of the Covid-19 pandemic’s negative impact on school finances. Former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who will deliver a high-level lecture on Education – An Investment for a Sustainable and Prosperous Future for All, will set the tone.
The day will also focus on high-level thematic panels. These will include Innovative Financing Mechanisms for Education, Financing of Meaningful Connectivity for Learning, and Financing of Early Childhood Development, featuring Sherrie Westin, the President of Sesame Workshop, the independent non-profit organisation that helps kids everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder through their Muppets.
There will also be technical sessions ranging from Unblocking Impact through Islamic Philanthropy to Delivering Results for Skills through Outcome-based funding.
Dr Tariq Al Gurg, CEO and Vice-Chairman at Dubai Cares, will speak about Financing for Education in Emergencies, a session also featuring the Director of Education Cannot Wait, Yasmine Sherif, and refugee youth voices.
In addition, the RewirEd Summit will unveil ‘The RewirEd Declaration on Connectivity for Education,’ which aims to foster consensus and commitment among key stakeholders by addressing key connectivity barriers and emphasising the need for an ecosystem that ensures affordability, usability, and reliability for learners and communities.