UNGA - Room to Read

Fund Education Like the Future Depends On It

We know children who develop literacy and life skills are better equipped to thrive in a rapidly changing world. The challenge is no longer discovering what works, but building the systems, partnerships and financing that enable human potential at scale.

At the 2026 UN General Assembly (UNGA 81) from September 17 - September 28 Room to Read is ready to advance a critical question: how can we move beyond funding individual programs to financing entire educational systems — achieving lasting change?

Find Room to Read at UNGA

September 17

Milken Institute Financial Innovations Lab

Organized by: The Milken Institute, in partnership with Room to Read and The Kapnick Foundation

Details: As global capital continues to shift, a private roundtable convening leaders from education, finance, philanthropy, and industry explores financing strategies and new partnerships to expand investment in the learning systems that underpin future talent, resilience, and economic growth.

September 21

Education as Infrastructure: How Learning Powers Progress Across the Sustainable Development Goals

Organized by: The Sidebar

Featuring: Heather Simpson, Chief Program Officer

Partners: Room to Read, Last Mile Health, and One Acre Fund

Details: Setting the foundation for progress across health, agriculture, and economic development, a panel discusses how investing in teachers, frontline workers, and adult learning strengthens livelihoods, improves community outcomes, and creates more resilient systems while identifying shared approaches to scaling learning across sectors.

September 22

Financing Human Potential: Rethinking How We Fund, Build, and Scale Opportunity

Organized by: Room to Read

Featuring: Melissa Berman, Founding President and former CEO, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors | David Hylden, Co-Founding Partner, Prevail Fund (moderator) | Her Excellence Dr. Amel Karboul, Co-Founder and CEO, EOF | Kanika Singh, Director of Catalytic Capital, the Milken Institute

Followed by a special conversation with: The Honorable Minister Conrad Sackey, Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education of Sierra Leone | Dr. Geetha Murali, CEO, Room to Read

With a performance by: Salome Agbaroji, 7th National Youth Poet Laureate of the United States

Education House Panel | The Workforce of 2040 Is in Grade 2 Today: Investing in Foundational Learning for Future Growth

Organized by: Foundational Learning Collaborative (FLC) in partnership with Gates Foundation

Featuring: Poornima Garg, Country Director, India

Partners: Central Square Foundation, Language and Learning Foundation, Leadership For Equity, Madhi Foundation, Room to Read, FLOAT, FLIGHT, Human Capital Africa, Elimu Soko, Wealth for Impact

From Room to Read Experts:

Inclusive education: Designing reading materials for all children

Deepali Agarwal, Quality Reading Materials Lead, Room to Read in India

Core competency: Curriculum and content, India

Education reform: Why policy and practice must be aligned

Poornima Garg, Country Director, Room to Read in India

Core competency: Research and insights, India

Reimagining school counseling and career guidance: A national milestone for student wellbeing

Ishika Millaniyage. Manager of Room to Read's Girls' Education Program in Sri Lanka

Core competency: Curriculum and content, Sri Lanka

When data meets real classrooms

Japheth Ogol, Manager, Literacy Research, Monitoring & Evaluation

Core competency: Research and insights, Tanzania

Building an evaluation tool to see inside the classroom

Rebecca Westbrook, Pinaki Joddar and Japheth Ogol, Room to Read Global Research, Monitoring & Evaluation

Core competency: Research and insights

Student wellbeing at scale

Ishika Millaniyage, Manager of Room to Read's Girls' Education Program in Sri Lanka