The Case for Education Investment to Strengthen Democracy and the World
by Giulia McPherson
Opening Statement: Do you remember the first time you felt the quiet magic of Capitol Hill? The long hallways, the hurried staffers, the sense that decisions shaping the world were being made just beyond the next door. For many young people, that first visit is more than a civics lesson. It is the moment they realize their voice carries weight. It is the moment democracy becomes real.
One Minute: Young people are not only future leaders. They are powerful advocates right now. When they meet with congressional staff, often peers only a few years older, something important happens. The conversation becomes grounded in shared experience. It becomes easier to see how policy choices ripple outward, affecting individual lives, communities, and global stability.
Education is one of the clearest examples of this. Around the world, millions of children remain out of school due to conflict, climate shocks, displacement, and poverty. Yet education is consistently shown to increase economic opportunity, strengthen community resilience, and reduce the likelihood of conflict. The United States has long supported global education programs that expand access to learning and help young people build brighter futures. That leadership has mattered. It has opened classrooms, trained teachers, and supported children living through crisis.
But leadership is not guaranteed. Budgets shift. Priorities change. Global challenges grow more complex. Yet the need for strong United States investment in global education has never been more urgent. These programs do more than open classroom doors. They stabilize communities, support economic growth, and give young people the tools to shape their own futures. No one understands the stakes more clearly than youth themselves.
They see how education transforms lives because they are living it. When young people learn how Congress works and how to share their own stories, they become the most compelling messengers for why these investments must continue. Their voices remind policymakers that global education is not an abstract line item. It is a lifeline for millions of children and a cornerstone of a more peaceful and prosperous world.
Closing Argument: One youth advocate recently told us, “I realized my voice mattered the moment someone in Congress listened.” That realization is powerful. It is also teachable. When we invest in education here in the U.S. and abroad, we strengthen both our democracy and our global leadership.
Giulia McPherson is the Executive Director of the Global Campaign for Education-US, a broad-based coalition dedicated to ensuring universal quality education for all. She has 20 years of leadership experience in the humanitarian and development sectors and can be reached at www.gce-us.org.