The 1GOAL campaign, which aims to make education the lasting legacy of the first World Cup in Africa, will hear via live satellite link-upfrom the leaders of the UK, South Africa, Spain, and the Netherlands of the importance of achieving education for all.

The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, U.S. Secretary of StateHillary Clinton, and President John Atta Mills of Ghana have madepre-recorded statements in support of the campaign, which will also air.

The 1GOAL campaign is aiming to recruit tens of millions of supporters through a mass sign up campaign to achieve a school place for the 75 million children out of school globally, pushing for:

• Governments to give more aid to for education - an extra $7bn is needed - and stand by their current pledges;
• Greater investment for more teachers, textbooks and schools in developing countries; and
• The millions of people watching the 2010 FIFA World Cup in the developing world to understand the importance of sending their children to school
  

What the leaders say

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said ahead of the event: "Today, I am pleased to sign on with FIFA and football players everywhere in the 1GOAL Campaign. I call on world leaders and people every where to join me in signing on to 1GOAL. With your support, the most important goals scored at the 2010 World Cup will be the Millennium Development Goals."

Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa whose country will host the 2010 FIFA World Cup, 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."

Her Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan said: "This is our chance to show not just out-of-school children, but our own children, that when we make a promise, we keep it. That's why I'm proud to be the co-founder and global co-chair of 1 GOAL. That's why I welcome global leaders who have the courage to live up to their aid commitments."

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said:"Today,there are boys and girls around the world dreaming about their futures. Education is their gateway to opportunity, it lifts people out of poverty and strengthens families,communities and countries. That's why I'm pleased to join FIFA and so many other leaders around the world to launch the 1GOAL Campaign. Let's make the World Cup an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to Education for All."

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown also lent his support to the campaign at an event at the Emirates Stadium, London, UK. Speaking before the event, Mr Brown said: "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 to back 1GOAL."