By The Epoch Times | Created at 2026-09-22 23:51:59 | Updated at 2026-09-23 01:15:15
1 hour ago
First Lady Melania Trump hosted first ladies and leaders from nearly 60 nations in New York City on Sept. 22, marking the expansion of her Fostering the Future Together initiative.
The luncheon, held on the margins of the 81st United Nations General Assembly, highlighted the initiative’s progress in children’s education by bringing in new partner countries and gaining support from more technology companies.
Attendees included first ladies and representatives from the UK, the Republic of Korea, Poland, the United Arab Emirates, Panama, and Canada. Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska was also among the guests.
“Together, we are a beautiful range of cultures, languages, histories, and traditions,” Trump said as she began her remarks.
“And yet, we stand unified around one everlasting truth: The future of our world will be determined by what we do for our children today.”
The event at the St. Regis Hotel also drew several prominent technology leaders, including Tim Cook, Apple’s executive chairman, and Enrique Lores, PayPal’s CEO. Jeanette Rubio, wife of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, was also among the guests.
Fostering the Future Together is a global coalition that aims to empower children, specifically through technology and education assistance, and was launched last year with the participation of 45 member nations.
Trump first announced the initiative during the 80th UN General Assembly in September 2025.
The program aims to expand children’s access to educational technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI), while promoting online safety.
In addition to the first lady, other speakers at the event were United States Ambassador to the United Nations Michael Waltz and United States Special Envoy Charity Wallace.
Waltz praised the first lady for putting children’s education first, stating that she “turned the world’s attention to our children, their education, the technology that will unlock the future and peace.”
Egypt, Turkey, and the Philippines are new members of the Fostering the Future Together initiative, having joined in March.
“When nations speak with one voice, the world listens. Our collective influence is profound,” Trump said. “Together, we can open doors, move markets, shape policy. And most importantly, we can change lives for the better.”
First Lady Melania Trump (C) poses for a photo with spouses of world leaders at a press conference to announce the expansion of her Fostering the Future Together coalition in New York on Sept. 22, 2026. Fostering the Future Together aims to increase children’s access to education technology while promoting online safety. Leonardo MUNOZ/AFP
Tech companies that announced new financial and operational support for the initiative include Adobe, Amazon, Google, Intel, Starlink, and Zoom.
“Thank you for empowering children with access to technology, all over the planet,” Trump said.
The first lady will host a similar event on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in December in Miami.
“Years from now, our children may not remember the meetings we held or the speeches we gave. But they will live with the consequences of what we do here,” she said.
