GENE Roundtable 48 took place online on 24 and 25 April and provided opportunities for Ministries and Agencies of Foreign Affairs and Education to share and learn from each other through national updates and working group sessions.

The Roundtable kicked off with high-level interventions by Mr. Sean Fleming, TD, Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs with responsibility for International Development and Diaspora, Ireland, Mr. Franz Fayot, Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, Luxembourg, and Ms. Erica Gerretsen, Director, Human Development, Migration, Governance and Peace (INTPA.G), European Commission.

Another highlight on the agenda was the follow-up to the new European Declaration on Global Education to 2050, taking stock of work going on at national level and connecting at European level to realise the vision of the Declaration.

GENE Roundtable 47 was organised in the framework of the European Congress on Global Education to 2050 (GE2050). The Roundtable registered the presence of representatives of the delegations attending the Congress and the participation of Ms. Agnieszka Skuratowitz, Head of Unit of INTPA G3 – Directorate-General for International Partnerships - European Commission, who acknowledged the important achievement of the new Declaration and reiterated the Commission's full support for the implementation of the next steps of this strategic vision.

GENE Roundtable 46 took place online on 4 April 2022. The main topics on the agenda were the national reports and priorities, GENE program updates, and the process for a new European Declaration on Global Education to 2050. The Roundtable provided space for ministries and agencies to share the tasks that they are currently working on and to also discuss their burning issues through the facilitation of the Mentimeter. Participants joined breakout sessions to discuss in-depth key issues they have in common for the next year.

GENE Roundtable 45 took place online on 17 and 18 November 2021. Hot on the heels of COP 26, one of the main topics on the agenda was the process for a new European Declaration on Global Education to 2050 (including Climate Change Education). The Roundtable provided opportunities for over 50 Ministries and Agencies to consider what this new declaration can mean, how we might build on current priorities and national processes, what the vision behind the declaration might be and how we might create this together. Read more about the process for a new European Declaration on Global Education to 2050.

Moreover, Ms. Agnieszka Skuratowicz, Head of Unit of INTPA G3 – Directorate-General for International Partnerships - European Commission delivered the opening statement of GENE Roundtable 45, highlighted the importance of the work of GENE and underlined the Commission’s commitment to Global Education as a way to overcome fear and division and increase space for democratic participation across policy areas, with international cooperation, and bringing together the local and global dimensions. Read the full opening statement by Ms. Agnieszka Skuratowicz here.

GENE Roundtable 44 kicked off on 29 April 2021 with exciting and forward-looking high-level interventions by Ms. Henriette Geiger (Director, DG INTPA, European Commission), Ms. Cristina Moniz (Vice-President, Camões - Institute for Cooperation and Language, Portugal) and a keynote speech by Prof. Elina Lehtomäki (University of Oulu, Finland). With a strong consensus that Global Education is now more important than ever, the roundtable continued with policy learning and networking sessions with over 60 Policymakers from across Europe.

On Day 2, the roundtable participants enjoyed a number of inspiring presentations and workshops. Ms. Ida Mc Donnell (Team Lead, OECD Development Co-operation Report) gave an important keynote on the need for new narratives of solidarity and asked important questions for the future of foreign and development policy and global education.

In a parallel keynote for education policymakers, Dr. Beatriz Pont (Project Lead, OECD Directorate for Education and Skills) reflected on ways to bridge the policy-implementation gap and shared a rich and data-informed perspective for change. Both shared perspectives in the plenary session and provoked questions that will inspire a long-term vision for global education.

Finally, Mr. Mark Little (CEO, Kinzen) gave the closing keynote with a thought-provoking input on countering misinformation and the implications for educators and for global education. Participants also shared policy learning from national exemplars and considered the future of global education in the context of digitalisation, formal and nonformal education, alignment of global education, and awareness-raising strategies.

The Roundtable was held online in October 2020 with over 50 policymakers from across Europe in attendance. Mr. Evarist Bartolo (Minister of Foreign Affairs, Malta) gave a thought-provoking opening, reminding participants that global educators and policymakers must put human beings at the heart of geopolitics and multilateralism if we are not only to interpret the world but also to change it towards greater justice. Watch Mr. Bartolo’s opening here.

Mr. Ruairí de Búrca (Director General of Irish Aid in the Department of Foreign Affairs, Ireland) gave an inspiring opening input that underlined the critical importance of Global Education in policy and practice. Watch it here.

Ms. Agata Sobiech, speaking on behalf of Ms. Henriette Geiger, Director at the European Commission (DG DEVCO), represented the views of the European Commission on the importance of GE/DEAR and the work of GENE.

Representatives of Ministries and Agencies from across Europe, including from recent and forthcoming EU presidencies, responded, welcoming the Commissions positions and stressing the importance of strengthening GE/DEAR within the forthcoming Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2021-2027 and, as part of it, the Neighbourhood, Development, International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI).

Prof. Joe O'Hara, President of EERA - European Educational Research Association gave an insight into the panorama of education research in today's world. GENE's Chairperson, Prof. Annette Scheunpflug concluded with a reflection on the unwritten future of Global Education. Watch Prof. Joe O'Hara’s presentation here.