What is a Sherpa and how can they help to guide the world’s children into school?
Barriers to education, Education funding, Right to education
Shakira is urging the G20 leaders to back a boldĀ education funding plan - and the role of so-called Sherpas could be vital in helping to deliver that.
This week the singer and campaigner Shakira has been urging people to send a message to world leaders about education.
She knows that whenĀ the most powerful countriesĀ meet at the G20 summitĀ in July, it is a golden opportunity to make the case for every child to be in school and learning.
Ā鶹APPIĀ鶹APPm telling the world about an opportunity to change that – and the future of the worldĀ鶹APPs children,” she said.Ā
As a member of the influential , Shakira wants the G20 nationsĀ to back an innovative plan that will help to fund education for every child. More than 120 million children and adolescents are currently out of school.
TomorrowĀ there is a crucial meeting in GermanyĀ –Ā whenĀ the agenda for the G20 summit will be decided. AĀ group of so-calledĀ “Sherpas”Ā could hold the key to the proposedĀ (IFFEd)Ā proposalĀ being high on the list.
No, not those Sherpas. NotĀ the skilled and hardyĀ NepaleseĀ mountaineers who guideĀ climbers up Everest.
These Sherpas areĀ advisers to the world’s leaders. So why the name?
SimpleĀ really, according toĀ Tom Fletcher –Ā British Ambassador to Lebanon from 2011 to 2015 and nowĀ Director of Global Strategy for the .
“Sherpas are the key advisers who get the leaders up the summit,” he explained. To keep the Himalayan analogy going, the Sherpas are supported by officials known as yaks.
“The Sherpas meet regularly to prepare the agenda, key issues and – crucially – the final communique,” said Tom.
“These are vital meetingsĀ that can get much further into the detail than the leaders can. They explore where the real red lines areĀ and what potential compromises can be found.”
Tom, who writes a blog calledĀ said Sherpas tend to be experienced senior officials who have the trust of their country’s leader.
He added: “They need resilience, patience and the ability to get by without much sleep. At the summit itself, they sit just behind the leaderĀ and will often continue negotiations in the margins of the meeting itself.”
The Sherpas meet monthly in the run-up to international summits and so get to know each other well.
TheirĀ role could be vital if the G20 countries – includingĀ theĀ United States, China, Russia, United Kingdom, Brazil, IndiaĀ and theĀ European Union –Ā and the World Bank are toĀ get on board to make the IFFEd a reality.
The proposed funding mechanism would generate an additional $13 billion each year.
It hasĀ been backed by more than 20 charities and campaigning organisations including Ā鶹APP, ONE, Global Citizen, Save the Children, Avaaz, Malala Fund, Islamic Relief, VSO and World Vision.
“IĀ鶹APPm proud to stand with them,’ said Shakira.Ā
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