FAQs for the TES: Solutions Day
• What is the TES: Solutions Day?
The United Nations Transforming Education Summit (TES) will consist of a TES: Mobilization Day on 16 September, a TES: Solutions Day on 17 September and a Leaders Day on 19 September 2022.
The TES: Solutions Day aims to mobilize collective actions and initiatives around the five Thematic Action Tracks of the Summit and will provide a platform for Member States and partners to mobilize support to launch or scale up initiatives connected to these Thematic Action tracks.
• Who can organize a session/event on TES: Solutions Day?
Member States, Intergovernmental Organizations, UN entities, and other stakeholders, including Non-Governmental Organizations and representatives from civil society, can co-organize a session/event. The co-organizers of each session/event should include at least three entities: two Member States and one UN agency.
One co-organizer should be designated as a focal point for communication purposes. In view of the large number of proposals anticipated, only one proposal per entity serving as a lead co-organizer will be considered.
• What are the selection criteria?
All proposed sessions/events should be explicitly and substantively linked to one of the Thematic Action Tracks of the Transforming Education Summit, with a view to mobilizing collective actions for transformation. The sessions/events will be selected based on their relevance to the Summit and its Solutions Day objectives, ensuring regional diversity and balanced coverage of a range of topics. Priority will be given to events that will propose, launch or scale up concrete initiatives to implement the recommendations of the Thematic Action Track discussion papers. See more details in the TES: Solutions Day Call for Proposals.
• Who should have a speaking role at the TES: Solutions Day session/event?
Co-organizers are encouraged to ensure gender and geographic diversity of speakers and include at least one youth representative. Ministers and policy-makers of education and other relevant sectors as well as other stakeholders such as youth, representatives of civil society, private sector, academia, etc. are also welcome to take part in TES Solutions Day events. The possible duration of each session/event is 45, 60 or 90 minutes.
• We plan to organize a side event outside the United Nations Headquarters premises (and/or on a different day). Will this event be considered a TES: Solutions Day event? Should we submit a proposal for the TES: Solutions Day?
While active engagement and mobilization to transform education is most welcome, events organized outside the designated UN Headquarters meeting rooms – or any events that are held on days other than 17 September – will not be part of the official programme of the TES: Solutions Day. Therefore, there is no need to submit a proposal. Nonetheless, sessions/events that are organized outside are encouraged to align their objectives and substantive content to those of the TES: Solutions Day session as described in the Call for Proposals and can be announced on the TES website should the information be shared with the TES Secretariat.
• In terms of logistical arrangements, what are the respective responsibilities of the session/event co-organizer and the Summit Secretariat?
The session/event co-organizers’ responsibilities include – but are not limited to – the invitation and travel arrangements of speakers including visa and security clearance, as needed; the oversight of the “run of show” and moderation of the entire session/event, including strict time management and note taking; timely arrangement and payment for the conference services to be applied directly through the UN G-meet system (see below).
Following the selection of the proposals, the Secretariat will assign a meeting room and a timeslot for each approved session/event, and the lead co-organizer of the approved sessions/events will be notified with the details for registering their session/event on the UN G-meet system.
It is the co-organizers’ responsibility to apply and obtain confirmation for the assigned room directly through the UN G-meet system, request and agree with the conference services on the equipment and services and bear their costs. Please note that the UN G-meet system can be accessed only by Permanent Missions of Member States to the United Nations and UN agencies.
The Summit Secretariat will be responsible for ensuring a fair selection process of Solutions Day sessions/events, scheduling and room assignment of selected sessions/events, and the preparation and dissemination of an official programme of sessions/events. The Summit Secretariat will not produce or distribute announcements or run other publicity efforts for individual sessions/events.
• What are the costs associated with the organization of TES Solutions Day sessions/events?
Selected sessions/events will be assigned with meeting rooms within the UN Headquarters, free of charge. However, costs associated with session/event organization, such as interpretation, technical support and travel of speakers, are to be borne by the co-organizers.
Once a meeting room and a timeslot are assigned to an approved session/event, one of the co-organizers needs to apply for the assigned room and request conference services directly through the UN G-meet system. The availability of interpretation services will be limited and thus early reservation is recommended. Please note that the UN G-meet system can be accessed only by Permanent Missions of Member States to the United Nations and UN agencies. After applying for the assigned rooms through the UN G-meet system, the co-organizers will receive cost-related information.
• Will it be possible to organize on-line or hybrid sessions/events? Will the sessions/events be webcast?
The Summit, including the TES: Solutions Day, will be an in-person event. While some speakers of sessions/events might participate virtually, all Solutions Day sessions/events will be held in person and there will be no virtual or hybrid meetings. Co-organizers can request webcasting of their sessions/events as part of the UN G-meet room application.
• What is the procedure for submission of a session/event proposal for the TES: Solutions Day?
You can find all relevant information on the TES: Solutions Day here including the note on the objective, criteria and process for submission of a side-event proposal. All proposals must be submitted through the online form available in English, French and Spanish. The link to the online form is available here.
The deadline for submission is Thursday, 18 August 2022, 5 pm EDT (GMT-4). The Summit Secretariat will review all proposals after the deadline in close coordination with the Deputy Secretary-General, and the lead co-organizers of selected proposals will receive information about their sessions/events by Thursday, 25 August 2022.