The Prime Minister has joined world leaders and footballers in launching the 2010 FIFA World Cup 1GOAL campaign, which aims to provide school places for the 75 million children out of school globally.

Gordon Brown attended an event at Arsenal’s Emirates stadium in London this afternoon as part of a worldwide show of support for the campaign, which hopes to recruit millions of supporters through a mass sign-up in time for next year’s World Cup.

Hosted by Gary Lineker, the event linked up by satellite with world leaders such as Prime Minister Zapatero of Spain and President Zuma of South Africa, and representatives of England’s football team Rio Ferdinand, John Terry and David James.

The PM signed his name to the initiative and said next year’s World Cup is the first to be held on African soil, providing an “unprecedented opportunity” to focus on education.

“It’s an outrage that 35m African children miss out on a basic primary education, tackling that would be an incredible achievement. That is why I am delighted that global leaders, some of the world’s best footballers and ordinary people from every continent have come together back 1GOAL.

“I am today urging all world leaders to sign up to this campaign and promise to make next year an historic turning point.”

What other leaders say

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said ahead of the event: "Today, I am pleased to sign on with FIFA and football players everywhere in the 1GOAL Campaign. I call on world leaders and people every where to join me in signing on to 1GOAL. With your support, the most important goals scored at the 2010 World Cup will be the Millennium Development Goals."

Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa whose country will host the 2010 FIFA World Cup, said: "We support the footballers and their fans in calling on all world leaders to do their part to ensure every child can go to school. We need to see action at the World Cup and beyond. By acting now, together we can ensure education for all."

Her Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan said: "This is our chance tos how not just out-of-school children, but our own children, that when we make a promise, we keep it. That's why I'm proud to be the co-founder and global co-chair of 1 GOAL. That's why I welcome global leaders who have the courage to live up to their aid commitments."

U.S.Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said:"Today, there are boys and girls around the world dreaming about their futures. Education is their gateway to opportunity, it lifts people out of poverty and strengthens families,communities and countries. That's why I'm pleased to join FIFA and so many other leaders around the world to launch the 1GOAL Campaign. Let's make the World Cup an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to Education for All."

The 1GOAL campaign aims to

• encourage governments to give more aid for education;
• encourage greater investment in teachers, textbooks and schools in developing countries;
• and a better understanding in the developing world of the importance of sending children to school.

Read the world leaders' joint statement 

For more information on the campaign, and to sign up to support education for all, please visit the 1GOAL website.

 

Source: 10 Downing Street
 

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