The 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa is more than just a soccer tournament. As the first Football World Cup on African soil, it has a lot of potential and responsiblity on its shoulders. One of the many things being done through the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa is the 1 GOAL campaign, which is a campaign to get the signatures of as many people as possible, from the leaders of nations to soccer stars to the average person on the street, to build a campaign to get world leaders to focus on education of the youth in the world, especially in disadvantaged countries.
the campaign was launch in South Africa recently with some of the most famous ex-soccer stars as well as world leaders all pledging their support. President of South Africa Jacob Zuma was there to sign, as well as Ban Ki Moon, UN General Secretary, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, famous soccer stars Frank Rijkaard, Gary Lineker, Marcel Desailly, Rio Ferdinand, as well as many others.
Source: FIFA.com
Getting an autograph from a famous football player is often a rare but wonderful story to tell. So it comes as a surprise that some of the world's greatest players are now asking fans for their signatures.
Many of the world's best past and current footballers have asked millions of football fans to pledge their support to a new global campaign that is lobbying governments to provide primary school education for the 75 million children worldwide who currently have none.
1GOAL Education For All is focused on ensuring that all children receive an education. To further the cause, the campaign is harnessing the power of football, using the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ in South Africa as the catalyst to global education reform.
Yesterday South African President Jacob Zuma was joined by various other heads of state to pledge their support for the 1 GOAL campaign. They were joined by famous footballers including Frank Rijkaard, Gary Lineker, Marcel Desailly, Rio Ferdinand, Sir Bobby Charlton, Mark Fish, Doctor Khumalo, Aaron Mokeona and Matthew Booth.
"There are 40 million more children - most of them in Africa - in school today because governments took action nine years ago. The World Cup is in South Africa next year so it is a good time to redouble our efforts and take another shot at getting the rest of these kids into classrooms," said the South African National football captain, Aaron Mokeona.
Nine-year-old Gugu Ngubane - who has already signed up to support the cause -is proud to be part of the 1GOAL campaign. "When I grow up I want to be a nurse. My school is very excited about the World Cup next year and we are very proud."
President Zuma signed up to 1GOAL in Johannesburg and was joined via satellite by FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter, campaign co-chair Queen Rania al Abdullah of Jordan, UN General Secretary Ban Ki Moon, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd , Ghanaian President Atta Mills, Netherlands Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
These heads of state all agreed to spend the next year working toward a breakthrough on global education funding and making education the legacy of the World Cup in Africa and impoverished regions around the World.
"The 2010 FIFA World Cup, the first one to be held on the African continent, represents a unique opportunity to mobilise energies around the globe to provide education and thus a better future for every child of our planet, said the FIFA President.
In agreement, President Zuma 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."
