Events Calendar

Education: A Human Right, a Public Good, and a Public Responsibility

In 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the globe, a majority of countries announced the temporary closure of schools, impacting more than 91% of students worldwide. As International Day of Education focuses global attention on this issue, what actions can we take to improve outcomes for all?

Even before the pandemic struck, 258 million children and youth did not attend school; 617 million children and adolescents could not read or do basic math; less than 40% of girls in sub-Saharan Africa completed lower secondary school; and some four million children and youth refugees were out of school.

The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) challenge all nations to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” by the year 2030. Join us as we mark International Day of Education 2021 with local and international experts who will discuss how inclusive, quality education will be critical in supporting our most vulnerable populations post-COVID, in achieving gender equality, in breaking the cycle of poverty, and in securing a peaceful and prosperous future for everyone.

Learners of all ages are invited to join and hear from the leaders who are shaping the future of education.

ASL interpreters and closed-captioning will be available. Thanks to St. Cloud State University Confucius Institute for providing this service.

Featured Speakers

• Audrey Azoulay, Director General, UNESCO
• David Edwards, General Secretary, Education International
• Neel Kashkari, President and Chief Executive Officer, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
• Justice Alan Page (retired), Founder/Chair, Page Educational Foundation
• Atul Tandon, CEO, Opportunity International
• Sondra Samuels, President/CEO, Northside Achievement Zone
• Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond, President of the California State Board of Education, Head of Education Transition Team for President-elect Joe Biden
• Jack Dangermond, Founder and CEO, Esri

Thank You to Sponsors

• Gold Sponsors – Communicating for Agriculture Exchange Programs, Hormel Foods Corporation
• Silver Sponsor – Atomic Data

Thank You to Program Partners

• World Affairs Councils of America

Thank you to promotional partners Citizens for Global Solutions; Education International; French American Chamber of Commerce, Minnesota Chapter; Fulbright Association – Minnesota Chapter; High Tech Kids; Northside Achievement Zone; Opportunity International; Page Education Foundation; South Dakota World Affairs Council; TeamWomen; and UNESCO.