COL representatives will be working hard to ensure that education and learning for sustainable development is on the agenda at the 2015 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM 2015) November 27 – 29 in Malta.

“Ending extreme poverty by 2030 has to be more than just a goal, it has to be a reality,” said COL President & CEO Professor Asha Kanwar, referring to the United Nations’ new global Sustainable Development Goals. “Our task is to ask, ‘How can we use distance learning and technology to provide not just formal education, but all forms of learning to achieve all 17 sustainable development goals?'”

The theme for CHOGM 2015 is Adding Global Value. COL representatives will use CHOGM meetings and sessions to promote a new COL initiative funded by Global Affairs Canada and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade that will support secondary schooling, training and skills development for hard-to-reach girls and women using open and distance learning. COL will also use CHOGM as an opportunity to share details of its 2015-2021 Strategic Plan, Learning for Sustainable Development, with government represents and other stakeholders from throughout the Commonwealth, and highlight the many ways in which COL’s work achieves global value and impact.

COL representatives will present at seven different sessions throughout the week-long agenda that includes a Youth Forum, Business Forum, People’s Forum, and for the first time ever, a Women’s Forum. COL’s presentations will focus on education and learning for girls and women, women leaders in sustainable development, and human resource development for the blue economy.

Photo credit: CHOGM Malta 2015 photo