On Friday 10th October, Mulberry Schools Trust will open the doors of its founding school, Mulberry School for Girls, to welcome hundreds of young women and a line-up of extraordinary international leaders for the annual Global Girl Leading Summit.

The summit is designed around a powerful idea: that girls can and do lead change. Throughout the day, students aged 13-18 will step into an environment where their voices are not only heard but amplified – through debate, performance, workshops and direct dialogue with some of the world’s most inspiring women.

This year, we are delighted to welcome students from Australia, India, Italy, Kenya, Mexico and the USA joining their peers from across the UK. To mark the occasion, the Trust has created an exciting programme beyond the conference itself – from cultural sightseeing across London to opportunities for international students to meet and collaborate with Mulberry students. The highlight will be a shared evening at the West End production of The Lion King, celebrating creativity, friendship and the joy of coming together across borders.

This year’s keynote will be delivered by Tina Tchen, Executive Vice President (Programs) at the Obama Foundation. She is joined by a distinguished panel that includes Baroness Nicky Morgan, Dr Edna Adan Ismail, H.E. Josefa González Blanco Ortíz Mena, Dr Joanna Abeyie, Natalie Campbell MBE, Fatima El-meeyuf, Dr Fatima Rajina and Ms Ritika Anand. Together, they will explore what leadership looks like at national and international levels, and how girls can shape solutions to the most urgent challenges facing women and girls globally.

The summit is more than a single event. It is streamed worldwide with free access to resources, ensuring that its reach extends far beyond the hall in East London. Girls from different cultures and contexts are connected in a shared movement of solidarity, advocacy and hope.

Dr Vanessa Ogden CBE, CEO of the Mulberry Schools Trust, said:

“Global Girl Leading is about placing girls at the heart of conversations that matter. We want them to see themselves reflected in leaders on the stage, but also to recognise that their own ideas and actions can be a force for transformation in the world.”