Melania Trump Brings First Spouses and Tech Leaders Together in New York
Shibbir Ahmed, New York — U.S. First Lady Melania Trump on Tuesday brought together representatives of 57 nations and technology-sector leaders at The St. Regis New York to expand her Fostering the Future Together initiative, unveiling new private-sector partnerships and plans for a series of international events focused on children’s education, technology and online safety.
The gathering took place during the 81st United Nations General Assembly and marked the latest expansion of a coalition that seeks to use technology and education to help children learn, grow and prepare for the digital future. The Office of the First Lady said the event would welcome new member nations, announce strategic partnerships with technology companies and present the initiative’s 2026 international events calendar.
Melania Trump: “Choose our children first”
In her remarks, Melania Trump emphasized the importance of giving children access to education and technology while ensuring that technological development serves their long-term interests.
“True empowerment begins by giving a child the confidence to believe that their mind has value,” Trump said. “It means giving children the freedom to imagine a world beyond the one they know today.”
She said the coalition’s work is focused on using technology to create educational opportunities for young people and to equip them for a rapidly changing world. The First Lady also highlighted the new partnerships with major technology companies and the investments being made to expand access to educational technology and artificial intelligence.
Fostering the Future Together is organized around four principal areas: AI in Education, EdTech Tools, Online Protection and Digital Skills. The White House says participating First Spouses and equivalent leaders work with their governments to identify technologies that can support children, educators and parents while protecting young people from online dangers.
Trump also announced plans for a series of Fostering the Future Together conferences around the world. She said the initiative’s first G20 event will be held in Miami in December. Concluding her remarks, Trump urged the participating leaders to turn their discussions into practical action.
“Let history say at the moment of extraordinary possibility, leaders from around the world came together to foster the future together and chose our children first,” she said.
Michael Waltz and Charity Wallace among speakers
The event’s listed speakers were Melania Trump, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Michael Waltz, and U.S. Special Envoy for Best Future Generations Charity Wallace. Waltz praised Trump’s work on the initiative, saying she was focused on turning the coalition’s goals into concrete action rather than advocacy alone. Wallace has also played a central role in coordinating the U.S. government’s work with the initiative. On Monday, she hosted a State Department announcement unveiling seven new technology-sector partnerships connected to Fostering the Future Together.
Seven new technology partnerships
The State Department announced Monday that Adobe, Amazon, Google, Intel, N50, Starlink and Zoom had established new partnerships through Fostering the Future Together. The partnerships involve more than 15 countries and are intended to expand educational and technological access and opportunities for children and young people.
The new commitments include $4 million from Google to expand its Google AI Educator Series and $2.75 million in new Zoom grants connected to its AI for Good initiative. Other commitments involve AI education, digital literacy, coding, internet connectivity and technology training. The initiative’s four pillars—AI in education, EdTech tools, online protection and digital skills—form the framework for the new partnerships.
First Spouses from around the world
The New York gathering brought together representatives of the coalition’s 57 member nations. The State Department said the coalition includes First Spouses from countries including France, Poland, the United Arab Emirates, Panama, the Philippines, St. Kitts and Nevis, Israel, Morocco, Kenya, Türkiye and the Republic of Korea.
Among the international participants specifically identified in reporting on the New York gathering was Mirabela Grădinaru, partner of Romanian President Nicușor Dan. Romanian media reported that she attended Melania Trump’s event and met Rachel Ruto, First Lady of Kenya. The gathering included First Ladies and First Gentlemen from several countries, government officials and technology-company representatives.
The 57-nation figure refers to the coalition’s participating First Spouses or equivalent leaders; it should not be interpreted as a publicly verified name-by-name attendance list for every individual at the St. Regis event.
From 45 nations to 57
Fostering the Future Together has expanded considerably since its inaugural global coalition summit in Washington in March. The White House says Melania Trump brought together First Spouses from 45 countries for the March 24–25 summit, where participants discussed four areas: EdTech tools, AI in education, online safety and digital literacy.
The coalition was originally launched by Melania Trump during the 80th UN General Assembly in New York on September 23, 2025. Its stated mission is to help children flourish in the digital era by combining education, innovation and responsible technology use while protecting children online.
Bangladesh’s Connection to the Initiative
Bangladesh was represented at Tuesday’s gathering in Manhattan, New York, with Dr. Zubaida Rahman, wife of Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, attending the Fostering the Future Together event at the invitation of U.S. First Lady Melania Trump.
Dr. Zubaida Rahman’s participation highlights Bangladesh’s engagement with the international initiative, which brings together First Spouses and leaders from participating countries to advance children’s education, technology, digital skills and online safety.
Zubaida previously participated in the inaugural Fostering the Future Together Global Coalition Summit in Washington, D.C., in March 2026, where she addressed issues including children’s education, healthcare, artificial intelligence and the safe use of technology. She attended that summit at Melania Trump’s invitation. Her participation in Tuesday’s New York gathering further highlights Bangladesh’s involvement in the coalition’s international efforts focused on the future and well-being of children.
A broader international technology effort
The New York meeting reflects the coalition’s increasingly public-private approach, bringing governments and technology companies together around children’s education and digital development. The White House says First Spouses and equivalent leaders work with their national governments to assess available technologies and explore ways to implement them in education, train teachers and parents, and develop new learning environments.
The initiative now has 57 member nations and a growing network of private-sector partners. With additional international conferences planned and a G20 event scheduled for Miami in December, Melania Trump’s coalition is moving beyond its initial summit toward a broader program of international cooperation on children’s education, technology and online protection.