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Education Cannot Wait appoints two global champions


Published : 02 Feb 2020 05:23 PM | Updated : 05 Sep 2020 11:59 PM

As part of the global celebrations of the International Day of Education, Education Cannot Wait (ECW) appointed former UNESCO Director-General, Irina Bokova, and former European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Christos Stylianides, as ECW Global Champions for Education in Emergencies.

As the Decade of Action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 kicks off, the two new Global Champions will support the growing global movement to deliver quality, inclusive education to more than 75 million children and youth worldwide that are missing out on the hope, opportunity and protection of an education as the result of protracted crises and emergencies.

“I am delighted that Irina Bokova and Christos Stylianides have accepted to serve in the important advocacy role of ‘ECW Global Champion for Education in Emergencies’,” said Rt. Hon. Gordon Brown, United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education and Chair, Education Cannot Wait High-Level Steering Group. “They will be great assets to our shared cause for the United Nations and the 75 million children and youth around the world whose education is disrupted by crises.”

“Irina Bokova and Christos Stylianides are passionate and committed leaders in advocating for education, and they embody the human spirit that drives our movement forward,” said Yasmine Sherif, Director of Education Cannot Wait. “Together with our partners, these tireless Global Champions will relentlessly advocate for education to be put front and center in humanitarian responses, upholding the right to education of the millions of girls and boys enduring armed conflicts, disasters and forced displacement.”

As the ninth Director-General of UNESCO – and the first woman to head the agency – Bokova is a staunch advocate for quality education, gender equality, women’s empowerment and sustainable development. UNESCO is a key partner for Education Cannot Wait’s educational responses, which have already delivered education to children and youth in some 30 countries affected by crises.