Just over a month after the launch of GPE’s replenishment campaign and case for investment, Board Chair Julia Gillard hit the road in Europe in advance of the G7 summit in Taormina, Italy, to meet with world leaders, influencers, and campaigners and advocate for global education financing.

Starting off in Brussels, she met with Deputy Prime Minister Alexander De Croo who announced the first GPE Replenishment 2020 pledge at the Educaid conference, where Ms. Gillard also spoke.

In London, in a speech at the London School of Economics, she made the case for a step change in global investment in education to address the learning crisis and ensure the world’s children are equipped to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

Finally, she went to Italy, the host of the G7 summit, where she met with key members of government, and to the Vatican, where she met Pope Francis, whom she urged to continue supporting education for the poorest children.