Together for Learning Summit: Engaging Displaced Youth to Transform Education

On March 30 and 31, 2022, Canada will host the Together for Learning Summit: Engaging Displaced Youth to Transform Education. The Summit, part of the Together for Learning campaign, will offer a unique opportunity to learn from the educational experiences of displaced youth and to engage with them as problem solvers and decision makers. The Summit aims to set an agenda for the future to make sure that refugee, other forcibly displaced and host community children and youths have access to the quality education and lifelong learning opportunities they need and deserve.

On this page

• Who is participating?
• What will the summit include?
• The Summit’s 3 themes
• What will happen during the summit?
• What’s happening ahead of the summit?
• Pre-summit negotiations of the Joint Ministerial Communiqué
• How does this summit fit in with the Together for Learning campaign?
• How can I join the summit?
• Related links

Who is participating?

• Youth leaders, including members of the Refugee Education Council
• Ministers of education and officials from countries hosting refugees or internally displaced persons (IDPs)
• Ministers of international development and officials from donor countries
• Heads of international development agencies
• Representatives of civil society, multilateral organizations and the private sector

What will the summit include?

• Conversations with educators, refugees and IDPs in countries around the globe
• Youth-led dialogues with global leaders about education needs and opportunities for collective action
• Space for ministers of education and international development to speak about the successes and challenges of delivering education to displaced populations
• Launch of a Youth Manifesto drafted by and for youth and a Joint Ministerial Communiqué to outline shared commitments

The Summit’s 3 themes

The summit will focus on 3 main themes inspired by youth leaders:

1. Inclusive and high-quality education
2. Gender equality
3. Technology and innovation

What will happen during the summit?

Day 1

The first day of the summit will include public and closed-door sessions:

• Session 1: Public launch, open to public participation
• Session 2: Youth-led dialogue, by invitation only
• Session 3: Ministerial dialogue, by invitation only

Session 1 will be the public launch of the Summit. It will be followed by Sessions 2 and 3, which will be closed-door sessions limited to a select group of invited participants from government, youth leadership and multilateral organizations. These sessions will focus on gaining a common understanding of the issues and the key elements of the Youth Manifesto. Session 3 will be open only to ministers, who will aim to agree on the final version of the Joint Ministerial Communiqué, which will be released on Day 2.

Day 2

The second day will feature a series of public sessions leading to the release of the Youth Manifesto and the Joint Ministerial Communiqué. On this day, participants will dive deeper into the challenges of refugee and IDP education, with insightful speakers and thought-provoking discussions.

On both days, a dynamic virtual summit platform will include informal spaces for interaction, a resource centre and side events.

For the full Summit program.

What’s happening ahead of the summit?

Youth dialogues

In preparation for the summit, World University Services Canada (WUSC) organized 4 regional dialogues in December 2021 and January 2022. These dialogues brought together youth participants from:

• Middle East
• East Africa
• West Africa
• Latin America

The aim of these dialogues was to bring together youth from diverse backgrounds. Through their stories and experiences of forced migration, the participants contributed to the development of the Youth Manifesto.

Pre-summit negotiations of the Joint Ministerial Communiqué

Between February 15 and March 22, 2022, government officials will gather in a series of preparatory meetings that will bring together:

• High-level officials from ministries of education
• High-level officials from ministries of international development
• Education officials and policy experts
• Youth representatives and representatives of civil society organizations

These meetings will provide an opportunity to think about the calls to action formulated by the youth in the Youth Manifesto. Together, government officials will negotiate their response by drafting a Joint Ministerial Communiqué, outlining their commitments to education. The final version of the Joint Ministerial Communiqué will be made public on the second day of the summit.

How does this summit fit in with the Together for Learning campaign?

Amplifying the voices of displaced children and youth is at the heart of the Together for Learning campaign. The Together for Learning Summit: Engaging Displaced Youth to Transform Education aims to be a productive opportunity for meaningful dialogue and collaboration focused on ensuring that no child is left behind.

Together, we can advance innovations, build new partnerships and ensure quality education that is gender-responsive, technologically advanced and innovative.

How can I join the summit?

A digital credential will be available to all registered participants.

You are welcome to participate during the public sessions by registering to the summit.

You can also follow the action by searching #TogetherforLearning on social media.

We hope you will join us!

Related links

• Together with Youth—The Together for Learning Summit outcome document