Global Campaign for Education launch World Cup intiative

21/08/2009

VSO attended the launch of 1GOAL at Wembley Stadium, London in August. Marcel Desailly and footballers from across the world support the new campaign that aims to make Education for All a reality, by gathering signatures and increasing the pressure on global leaders to keep their promises.

1GOAL aims to ensure that children currently out of school get access to classrooms and a sufficient number of properly trained teachers. There are 75 million children missing out on primary school across the world, and 18 million more teachers are needed to ensure the Millenium Development Goals can be met by 2018.

David James, Gary Lineker, Kanu, Mikael Silvestre and other footballers attended the event and were among the first signatories to the online petition, which will grow as we approach the World Cup next summer in South Africa.

Marcel Desailly said “I am from Cote D’Ivoire and have had opportunities most children in my country are denied because they did not go to school. Please give 1GOAL your support and help children in poor countries have the opportunity for a better future.”

VSO has supported the Global Campaign for Education (GCE) internationally for many years, and various VSO volunteers work in national GCE coalitions, for example in Ethiopia, Mozambique and The Gambia.

Steve Lewis, head of Advocacy at VSO, said, “This campaign can be a boost to our education partners in the South, especially the GCE coalitions we work with. I’d encourage everyone to sign up on www.join1goal.org  and keep in touch as the campaign develops.”