Ahead of the G7 Summit in Cornwall on June 11-13, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, announced a EUR700 million (US$830 million) pledge - the largest-ever single-donor pledge ever made to GPE. This financing is critical to help transform education systems in up to 90 countries and territories where 1 billion children live. GPE's "Raise Your Hand" campaign aims to mobilize at least US$5 billion for the next five years.
Commissioner for International Partnership Jutta Urpilainen said: "The EU and Member States account for half of the global support to education and as Team Europe our contribution to the GPE will be a testimony that education must be at the heart of the recovery, with a particular attention to girls."
GPE is immensely grateful for the pledge by the European Commission, a GPE partner since 2008. At the previous GPE financing conference in 2018, the European Union was already the largest donor to GPE with a pledge of EUR337.5 million.
On the margins of the G7 summit in the UK, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a CAN$300 million pledge to GPE (US$246 million). And earlier in the week, the Swiss government had announced a CHF52 million pledge (US$58 million) for GPE's financing campaign.
GPE is thankful to Canada and Switzerland for their continued financial support.
"The EUR700 million pledge from the European Commission is a testament to the importance it places on education to build a better and more sustainable world," said Alice Albright, GPE Chief Executive Officer. "We are extremely grateful for this contribution, and the renewed commitments from Canada and Switzerland as long-standing GPE partners. This funding is crucial to help GPE and its partners deliver quality education to the world's most vulnerable children."
The "Raise Your Hand" campaign will culminate at the Global Education Summit in London on July 28-29, co-hosted by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Kenya President Uhuru Kenyatta. Fully funded over the 2021-2025 period, GPE would be able to get 88 million more children in school, enable 175 million girls and boys to learn, and ensure that 140 million students are taught by professionally trained teachers.