Derek Twigg (Halton) (Lab)

- Hansard -

I rise to present a petition on the 1GOAL For All campaign.

The petition states:

The Petition of staff and students at Halton Lodge School and their friends, relatives and others in their community,

Declares that the petitioners support the 1GOAL For All Campaign to use the power of football to contribute to securing universal primary education by 2015 (Millennium Development Goal 2); notes the progress that has already been made towards this goal, with 40 million more children in school since the Millennium; further declares that the petitioners are appalled that 72 million children across the world are still denied the opportunity of schooling; further notes that sport can be used to champion education, which gives people the tools to help themselves out of poverty…The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons agrees to any motion expressing support for the 1GOAL Campaign and urges the Leader of the House and the Backbench Business Committee to consider scheduling a debate on progress towards achieving Millennium Development Goal 2 (Universal Primary Education).

There are 452 petitioners.

Following is the full text of the petition:

[The Petition of staff and students at Halton Lodge School and their friends, relatives and others in their community,

Declares that the petitioners support the 1GOAL For All Campaign to use the power of football to contribute to securing universal primary education by 2015 (Millennium Development Goal 2); notes the progress that has already been made towards this goal, with 40 million more children in school since the Millennium; further declares that the petitioners are appalled that 72 million children across the world are still denied the opportunity of schooling; further notes that sport can be used to champion education, which gives people the tools to help themselves out of poverty; and further declares that Halton Lodge School has used the opportunity afforded by World Cup 2010 to engage with the international campaign founded and chaired by Her Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan, by watching and reading 1GOAL material, by producing artwork to raise the profile of the Campaign, by holding a 1GOAL school assembly and by opening the school for parents to watch the first game (France v South Africa) of the World Cup 2010 recently held in South Africa, an event which has raised the hopes and aspirations of millions of young people across Africa.

The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons agrees to any motion expressing support for the 1GOAL Campaign and urges the Leader of the House and the Backbench Business Committee to consider scheduling a debate on progress towards achieving Millennium Development Goal 2 (Universal Primary Education).

And the Petitioners remain, etc.]

[P000849]