Introducing the Global Fund for Education

Late in January more than two thousand of the world’s chief executives, politicians, economists and generally well connected make the ascent to Davos high in the Swiss Alps for the annual World Economic Forum (WEF). With them go the heads of NGOs, socially aware pop and movie stars and, this year for the first time, six young people selected by their peers to conduct a session called “Wisdom of Youth” at he the WEF.

Their journey to Davos began last week in Greenwich in south-east London. Rising to the challenge of the WEF’s Director, Klaus Schwab, that those gathering at Davos this year should focus on education and its role in building understanding between cultures, the British Council had brought together 60 19- to 25-year olds from 49 countries to debate the issues and, more importantly, propose solutions.

During their four days together, the participants worked in geographically diverse teams of six. The plan was that, at the end of the meeting, the participants would choose one of the teams to take up Klaus Schwab’s invitation to the British Council to bring to Davos concrete proposals that would challenge the thinking of the world’s leaders. The 60 young people who gathered in Greenwich last week were firm in their belief that the educational quality and global citizenship were vital issues on which the citizens and leaders of today’s world need to focus.

After developing an analysis of the issues, the teams worked on proposals for action. Their thinking was stimulated by a programme of visits that included the community education and anti-racism programme of Charlton Athletic Football Club and, for one group, a broadcast on community-based Radio Peckham. They were supported with training in public speaking, media relations, and the use of social technologies such as blogging and internet radio. A highlight was a reception at 11 Downing Street, the residence of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown.

On Saturday, January 20th, the teams presented their ideas as part of a great balloon debate. Over a number of rounds, the group as a whole voted for the team that they felt could best represent them at Davos.

The winning team, “Greenwich 7″, draws members from Australia, Egypt, Israel, Korea, Mauritius and Switzerland. The virtual seventh member, according to the group, is the other participants at Greenwich who can’t be physically present at Davos.

Greenwich 7 proposed a Global Fund for Education (click to view a 2-page brief) to address these issues, building on the Education for All initiative and the Global Campaign for Education.

Greenwich 7 will present their challenge on Friday in a “Wisdom of Youth” session to the Queen of Jordan and Gordon Brown, with Jonathan Charles ofthe BBC moderating.

The Wisdom of Youth session will be broadcast live on http://gaia.world-television.com (look for “Wisdom of Youth”) and will be available as a podcast.

1 comment January 23rd, 2007