The Irish Forum for Global Education (IFGE) welcomes its new Coordinator Ponke Danker. A qualified human rights lawyer, with many years of experience in international and social justice, advocacy and project management and the non-for-profit sector, she is passionate about inclusive and equitable quality education for all.
Ponke is a native of Kiel, Germany. She completed her third level education in Berlin, Geneva and Galway and has spent some time working in The Hague. For the last years, working in Dublin and around Ireland, she currently is a resident in Co. Louth.
Grounded in the understanding that education enables individuals to take greater control of their lives and empowers them to become agents of social justice and peace in their communities, she believes that working towards an inclusive and equitable quality education for all globally is the basis for fighting poverty, facilitating peace and bringing about progress and a collective wellbeing in society. She is convinced that only by working together in solidarity and partnership, developing global responses to education issues, will build, strengthen and sustain a thriving democratic, inclusive and prosperous society everywhere.
In her role as Coordinator of the Irish Forum for Global Education, she is dedicated to promoting awareness of, and a strong Irish contribution to achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4:
Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
For 2024 she will support the IFGE to serve as a valuable platform for dialogue and learning on global education and to promote an increased engagement and investment in education globally as well as in emergencies and development.
Coordinating the IFGE’s advocacy work she will serve and strengthen the IFGE’s membership, create space for dialogue and networking and lead IFGE’s communication and outreach to create greater public awareness of global education issues. With an upcoming series of events for 2024, including an event on 24th January for the International Day of Education, soon to be announced, and a consultation on the upcoming Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report, 2024 promises to bring together leaders in global education in Ireland.
With 2023 having seen yet more education under attack through crisis and climate change, we are aspiring for the new year to see new opportunities to safeguard and promote inclusive and equitable quality education globally.
