Supporting the 1GOAL campaign: education for all

06 October 2009

The Prime Minister and leaders from South Africa, Spain, and the Netherlands join up with footballers and FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter to pledge their support to provide an education for every child.

See photos from the launch event, from DFID on Flickr

Prime Minister Gordon Brown lent his support today to the 1GOAL campaign in London, where he was joined by Queen Rania and footballing legends Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Sir Bobby Charlton.

Speaking before the event the Prime Minister said: "The World Cup focuses global attention unlike any other tournament, and next year's - the first ever held on African soil - provides an unprecedented opportunity to use that focus to leave a lasting legacy.

“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."

England star Rio Ferdinand, supporting the event, said: “I believe every child has the right to an education and that’s why I’m supporting 1GOAL and asking football fans around the world to join today.”