1GOAL Pledging Moment
In the run up to the 2010 World Cup, global leaders and top footballers have come together in a bid to get 75 million of the world’s poorest children access to education through a new campaign, called 1GOAL. I went to the international pledging moment of the 1GOAL campaign at the Emirates Stadium on October 6, 2009.
Hosted by Gary Lineker in the UK, Heads of State, footballers, and key individuals from around the world were also present via live satellite link up. Sepp Blatter, FIFA President, pledged to support the campaign live from Zurich, and was followed by Queen Rania of Jordan, who had travelled to London to speak passionately about the importance of 1GOAL and the urgent need to ensure that young people across the world receive an education.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Sol Campbell and Aaron Mokoena all ‘chalked up’ for education too, signing a chalkboard of commitment in front of an audience at the Emirates Stadium but also around the world.
Other heads of state pledging live around the world included Spanish Prime Minister Zapatero from Madrid, and President Zuma in Cape Town, South Africa, where the 2010 World Cup will be held.
As footballers stood up to say that our leaders needed more ‘political will’ to bring education to every child in the world, Hillary Clinton stated in a video message from Washington that young people not receiving a formal education is ‘the greatest injustice’ of the 21st Century.
I asked Lord Triesman – former Foreign Office Minister and current Chairman of the FA – whether world leaders will live up to their pledge to support 1GOAL, given that they have failed to live up to all of their pledges around the Millennium Development Goals. Triesman said, ‘Leaders are now committed and there’s a realisation that we must all do more, which is why the FA is involved to make sure stars in the world of Football continuously maintain pressure on world leaders who have the power to invest and change things.’
Kevin Cahill, CEO of Comic Relief, also expressed that for the campaign to succeed, ‘People need to sign up…to say that we care and we want change…we need to pressure our governments to act’.
To find out more about 1GOAL, check out http://www.join1goal.org/ and pledge your support the campaign.
Kawsar Zaman
DIFID Youth Reporter
Hosted by Gary Lineker in the UK, Heads of State, footballers, and key individuals from around the world were also present via live satellite link up. Sepp Blatter, FIFA President, pledged to support the campaign live from Zurich, and was followed by Queen Rania of Jordan, who had travelled to London to speak passionately about the importance of 1GOAL and the urgent need to ensure that young people across the world receive an education.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Sol Campbell and Aaron Mokoena all ‘chalked up’ for education too, signing a chalkboard of commitment in front of an audience at the Emirates Stadium but also around the world.
Other heads of state pledging live around the world included Spanish Prime Minister Zapatero from Madrid, and President Zuma in Cape Town, South Africa, where the 2010 World Cup will be held.
As footballers stood up to say that our leaders needed more ‘political will’ to bring education to every child in the world, Hillary Clinton stated in a video message from Washington that young people not receiving a formal education is ‘the greatest injustice’ of the 21st Century.
I asked Lord Triesman – former Foreign Office Minister and current Chairman of the FA – whether world leaders will live up to their pledge to support 1GOAL, given that they have failed to live up to all of their pledges around the Millennium Development Goals. Triesman said, ‘Leaders are now committed and there’s a realisation that we must all do more, which is why the FA is involved to make sure stars in the world of Football continuously maintain pressure on world leaders who have the power to invest and change things.’
Kevin Cahill, CEO of Comic Relief, also expressed that for the campaign to succeed, ‘People need to sign up…to say that we care and we want change…we need to pressure our governments to act’.
To find out more about 1GOAL, check out http://www.join1goal.org/ and pledge your support the campaign.
Kawsar Zaman
DIFID Youth Reporter
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