RewirEd Summit at COP28, the first ever global summit on education and climate, unveils agenda and speakers

RewirEd Summit, Dubai Cares’ flagship platform advocating for rewired education systems as the core enabler for a sustainable future for people and planet, has unveiled the agenda for its highly anticipated second edition that will take place on December 8 on the “Youth, Children, Education and Skills” Thematic Day within the Green Zone of the upcoming 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28). 

The Summit’s programming will feature 35 sessions led by over 200 speakers representing diverse sectors and voices that are crucial to accelerate education transformation for climate action. Bringing together heads of state, ministers, high-profile dignitaries from UN agencies, international NGOs, climate actors, CEOs and business leaders, as well as teachers, children, youth and indigenous leaders, the Summit seeks to drive concrete action towards education transformation for climate action through the active participation of all segments of society.

His Excellency Dr. Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer and Vice-Chairman of Dubai Cares, said: “Rewiring education for climate action is one of the most pressing needs of our time as it is the foundation of a sustainable future for people and planet. With education being deprioritized in adaptation and mitigation strategies, the 2nd edition of the RewirEd Summit will serve as a much-awaited opportunity for the global education sector to unite with the climate sector, and position transformed education systems at the heart of climate strategies.

The Summit’s programming, therefore, has been carefully curated to ensure that it aligns with the priorities of the education sector, while also contributing to climate agendas through win-win solutions. As we gear up for this historical edition of the COP, we urge everyone to leverage RewirEd Summit as a key milestone in our collective efforts to reclaim the transformative potential of education as a driving force for progress and development.”

Adnan Ameen, Chief Executive Officer of COP28, said: “Education is a critical driver to build the skills needed for the future climate economy. In this context, we are delighted to be working with Dubai Cares to bring the second edition of the RewirEd Summit to COP28. This will be a key opportunity to rally the solutions that can empower today’s learners and accelerate actions that will determine our planet’s future.”

Ministers and high-level dignitaries to join the discussions along with a diverse line-up of speakers from other sectors 

Some of the key speakers include: Hon. Philip J. Pierre, Prime Minister of St. Lucia; H.E. Bhupender Yadav, Minister of Labor and Employment, Environment, Forest and Climate Change, India; H.E. Cheikh Oumar Anne, Minister of National Education, Senegal; H.E. João Marques da Costa, Minister of Education, Portugal; Hon. Awut Deng Achuil, Minister of General Education and Instruction, South Sudan; H.E. Pohamba Penomwenyo Shifeta, Honorable Minister of Environment and Tourism, Namibia; H.E. Dogdurkul Kendirbaeva, Minister of Education and Science, Kyrgyz Republic; H.E. Reem Bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Chairperson of Dubai Cares; H.E. Ababu Namwamba, Cabinet Secretary, Minister of Youth Affairs, Sports and the Arts, Kenya; H.E. Jurrian Middlehoff, Ambassador of Youth, Education and Skills, Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs; H.E. Ban Ki-moon, 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations and Co-Chair of the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens; H.E. Dr. Tariq Al Gurg, CEO and Vice-Chairman of Dubai Cares; Kevin Frey, Chief Executive Officer, Generation Unlimited; Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director, Education Cannot Wait; Dr. Andrew Cunningham, Global Lead, Education, Aga Khan Foundation; Prof. Jeffrey Sachs, University Professor, Columbia University; Alexandra van der Ploeg, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, SAP; Prof. Dr. Patrick Verkooijen, Chief Executive Officer, Global Center on Adaptation; H.H. Princess Sama Bint Faisal Al Saud, Board Member, World Scout Foundation; Nelly Beatriz Yaguachi Caiz, Indigenous Youth Leader, Ecuador; Stefan Tromel, Senior Disability Specialist, International Labour Organization; and Vidya Bindal and Eshaan Gangwal, 11th Grade Students from the USA, among others. 

High-impact sessions to highlight the urgent need for a new system of partnerships 

 Aimed at catalyzing a much-needed shift in the thinking and action around the climate and education nexus, the sessions will focus on a series of interconnected themes that are crucial for achieving education transformation goals for climate action, including connectivity, early childhood development, finance, policy, technology, school health and nutrition, gender equality, refugee education, skilling, youth empowerment, as well as the role of private sector, among others.

Key sessions at RewirEd Summit include ‘The Role of Education In Building a Climate-Resilient Development In The 21st Century’; ‘Placing Gender Equality and Youth at The Heart of Education Transformation for Climate’; ‘Green Jobs: Paving the Way to a Sustainable Future’; ‘Youth Raising Ambition for Quality Climate Education’; ‘Moving from Ideas to Action: Localized Levers to Support Youth Education and Employment in the Green Economy’; and ‘Ensuring Educators are at the Center of the Educational Response to the Climate Crisis’. 

Youth and Education Presidency Session on December 2 during World Climate Action Summit 

RewirEd Summit will also be part of a high-level session titled “The Youth and Education Session: The latent force of climate action” on December 2 during COP28’s World Climate Action Summit taking place within the Blue Zone, where H.E. Shamma Al Mazrui, COP28 Youth Climate Champion will deliver a keynote speech. H.E. Dr. Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer and Vice-Chairman of Dubai Cares will deliver a keynote address to open a panel focusing on the highest-level climate and education announcements that will be unveiled during COP28. Other high-profile speakers for this session include Honorable Kausea Natano, Prime Minister of Tuvalu; H.E. Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy; H.E. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, UAE Minister of Education; Catherine Russell, Executive Director of UNICEF; Prof. Dr. Patrick Verkooijen, CEO of Global Centre on Adaptation; and Mafalda Duarte, Executive Director, Green Climate Fund; among others. 

For the full agenda of RewirEd Summit and to register, please visit: www.rewiredsummit.org. Deadline for registration is 30 November 2023.

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