Media Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark's web site
More children in better schools. This is the aim of a large conference on education in Copenhagen to be held on 8 November with several hundred participants, including 29 ministers of education from developing countries. Danish Minister for Development Cooperation Christian Friis Bach participates in the conference and hosts a reception on 7 November in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Ministers from around the world and 200 representatives of donors, developing countries, UN agencies, private companies and NGOs will meet on 8 November in Copenhagen, when the Global Partnership for Education holds a large pledging conference on education.
The aim of the conference is to increase international efforts to enable all children to go to school and receive quality education.
The conference takes place in the untraditional venue ‘Kulturkajen Docken’ at Færgehavnsvej, Østerbro in Copenhagen. Here, the Global Partnership for Education is asking participants to contribute $ 2.5 billion that will help enroll 25 million more children in better schools over the coming three years.
Education is everyone's responsibility
During the recent years, international contributions to education have decreased, and there is a real risk that by 2015 there will be fewer children in school than today. Therefore it is an urgent need to secure more money for education, says Carol Bellamy, former UNICEF director, who is now Chair of the Global Partnership for Education.
"Education for a time has been overshadowed by other concerns. It is time that education again comes in front, "says Carol Bellamy during a visit to Copenhagen before the summit.
The ’Global Partnership for Education’ conference takes place in’ Kulturkajen Docken’ in Copenhagen. Chair of Global Partnership for Education, former Executive Director of UNICEF, Carol Bellamy is conference host. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affair/Jan
She agrees that many other development initiatives also need support, but it is the view of the organisation that education is the best investment to eradicate poverty, promote democracy and reduce dependence on foreign assistance.
"Everyone has a role when it comes to education, not just donors," she explains.
Therefore, the conference brings together representatives of governments, UN organizations, civil society and the private sector.
Minister for Development Cooperation Christian Friis Bach participates
Danish Minister for Development Cooperation Christian Friis Bach looks forward to meeting with 29 ministers of education from countries such as Afghanistan, Burkina Faso and Ghana.
The evening before the conference participants are invited to a reception in Eigtveds Pakhus hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Technical Advisory Services headed by Tove Degnbol is responsible for coordinating the great event with the organizers in Global Partnership for Education.
Facts:
Since 2003, the Global Partnership for Education, formerly known as the' Education For All - Fast Track Initiative (EFA FTI)’ has contributed to the enrolment of 19 million more children in school, it has supported the construction of over 30,000 classrooms and has trained over 337,000 teachers. The support takes the point of departure in national education systems in the 46 partner countries.
Original source
Last Modified: March 01, 2012
