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Desmond Tutu to G8 leaders: Education is key to solving world problems

By: Robert Williams
Christian Post Correspondent
Tuesday, 7 July 2009, 8:47 (EST)
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Archbishop Desmond Tutu and two prominent leaders have called upon G8 leaders due to meet in Italy this week to invest in education for long term peace and development.

They have especially called upon the creation of a Global Fund for Education (GFE) that will provide education for all.

They say 75 million children are unable to attend school, 226 million adolescents are not enrolled in secondary school, and 770 million adults remain illiterate. In over 50 countries, many in sub-Saharan Africa, half of all children never complete primary school.

Nobel Laureate and former Anglican archbishop of Cape Town, Mary Robinson, the former president of Ireland, and Muhammad Yunus, Bangladeshi Nobel peace prize winner and the founder of Grameen Bank have co-written to U.S. President Barack Obama, U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the other leaders ahead of the G8 summit in Italy from 8-10 July.

"Education is the key to unlocking inter-generational deprivation, as it offers the knowledge people need to live healthy, happy lives," the letter states.

"By investing in education, the G8 can leverage huge returns in women's and children's health, nation- and peace-building, and global economic development now and in the future," they write.

"At this critical time, millions of children are dropping out of school to join the labour market, governments are being forced to cut their education budgets and total aid commitments to basic education are dropping at an alarming rate."

The GFE, which they want to see established by the end of the year, would reverse a global decline in aid to education in the poorest countries. This in turn would improve health in these countries, Tutu told journalists in a conference call from Washington.

The letter is particularly directed at Obama, who as part of his presidential campaign pledged at least 2 billion U.S dollar to set up a global fund for education by 2015.

“Such a bold and ambitious plan should be endorsed by other members of the G8 through a public commitment to such an initiative, which must be launched before the end of the year with full funding,” the letter said.


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