UK: FOOTBALL/ SOCCER: Soccer stars and world leaders join in 1GOAL campaign for global education.

Record ID: 345708

  • Title: UK: FOOTBALL/ SOCCER: Soccer stars and world leaders join in 1GOAL campaign for global education.
  • Date: 7th October 2009
  • Summary: (BEWARE FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY) SOCCER STARS, WORLD LEADERS AND CHILDREN ON STAGE FOR CAMERAS PAN FROM CHARLTON TO GORDON BROWN AND ALAN SHEARER WIDE OF PEOPLE ON STAGE
  • Embargoed: 22nd October 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Education,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA2U4QOCWSYO9CXRWNJ9J0LYQZ7
  • Story Text: Soccer stars and world leaders join in 1GOAL campaign for global education in build-up to 2010 world cup in South Africa.
    World leaders were on Tuesday (October 6) urged to sign up to a campaign to use the 2010 soccer World Cup in South Africa to promote an education for every child.
    The FIFA-backed 1GOAL event at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium in London gathered world leaders alongside international football greats, with others appearing 'live' by satellite, in order to highlight the education drive.
    '1GOAL Education for ALl' will press governments for an extra seven billion U.S. dollars to try to achieve a place for the 75 million children globally who are not of school.
    Those appearing included 1966 world cup winner Sir Bobby Charlton, campaign co-chair and co-founder Queen Rania of Jordan and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Other soccer stars signing up included South Africa captain Aaron Mokoena, 1998 world cup winner Marcel Desailly of France, ex-England striker Alan Shearer and defender Sol Campbell.
    FIFA President Sepp Blatter told the audience by TV link from Zurich: "Together we can make universal education in Africa a reality and raise awareness of the challenges and the needs on the continent, not only in the lead-up, but long after the final whistle of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The 2010 FIFA World Cup, the first one to be held on the African continent, represents a unique opportunity to mobilise support around the globe and to provide education, health and a better future for every child on our planet."
    Campaign leaders hope to hold a summit on global education in Africa next June on the eve of the World Cup.
    Sir Bobby Charlton told Reuters afterwards: "Well I'm a member of the football committee at FIFA and this is FIFA orientated. They're very keen that people round the world all get the opportunity to play football. But when you tell them the problem really is that children can't even go to school, never mind play football, then you realise that it's serious stuff and that's why I've come today."
    South Africa captain Mokoena believes next year's world cup will be unique.
    "It's going to be a different world cup. It's going to be a world cup with African vibe, which, I think it's going to be totally, totally different to the world cups that we've had. But for me as a South African and as the captain of the national team, it means a lot, it means a lot and I hope that the cup will remain in Africa -- in the African continent."
    Asked who he might tip for success among African nations, Mokoena said: "You have to mention Ghana. It's a fantastic country and they have fantastic players. Most of their players, they have international experience, that's what actually I just mentioned earlier on. Without international experience it's always difficult. Ivory Coast has got fantastic players, players with international experience as well. Hopefully we'll get as much African countries like Nigeria to qualify. Still a long way to go, but hopefully we'll get African giants through to be part of the world cup."
    Charlton said England stand a good chance next year and compared current manager Fabio Capello favourably with his successful 1966 boss Alf Ramsay.
    "I can only go back to what Alf Ramsay used to be like at '66 and he produced a world cup-winning team. But, he was the boss and it doesn't matter who you came from, which club you came from, who you were, what your status was, at the end of the day he had the last word and Capello seems to have the last word and it would suggest that with a little bit of luck and fair wind we have as much chance as anyone."
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