From One Voice to Many: GEI’s New Approach to Kicking Off Glocal Evaluation Week 

As each new Glocal Evaluation Week approaches, excitement builds for the vibrant exchange of ideas and learning that defines this annual event. Behind the scenes, the Global Evaluation Initiative (GEI) always returns to a key question: How can we create space so that all voices are heard, connected, and amplified? 

This year, GEI embraced that challenge and expanded the Glocal launch to multiple regions around the world. Inspired by a suggestion from one of GEI's implementing partners, the Center for Learning in Evaluation and Results for Latin America and the Caribbean (CLEAR-LAC), GEI reimagined how to launch Glocal Evaluation Week from a single kickoff event to a week-long series of regional launch sessions, each adding its own perspective to the global conversation. 

"Our decision to launch Glocal Evaluation Week globally and across the regions reflects our vision for Glocal as a movement that celebrates the rich diversity of evaluation practices and perspectives worldwide, ensuring that every voice from every corner of the globe is welcome and included," said Dugan Fraser, Program Manager of GEI. 

Each regional launch was hosted by GEI’s network of implementing partners, who worked closely with local stakeholders to engage both long-time collaborators and new participants. These events created space for regional experts, government leaders, civil society actors, and evaluation practitioners to reflect on a shared question: How can evaluation contribute to a better future—one rooted in equality, inclusion, climate action, peace, and sustainable development? 

Speakers shared insights grounded in their own regional contexts, offering reflections that connected lived realities and broader institutional and cultural dynamics. The sessions encouraged the exchange of ideas, with participants joining multiple events, continuing conversations across sessions, and sparking dialogue that extended well beyond the original forums. 

Nearly 400 Events, One Shared Purpose: Advancing Evaluation for a Better Future 

The regional launches set the tone for Glocal Evaluation Week 2025: a truly global gathering of monitoring and evaluation (M&E). With nearly 400 events held worldwide, the week brought together institutional experience, innovative practices, and grounded knowledge from every corner of the world. 

Glocal 2025 was more than a conference—it was, and continues to be, a movement for evidence-informed change. And this year’s worldwide launch ensured the movement began with inclusion and shared leadership. 

Watch the Glocal 2025 launch events here.