Gary Benham

How often to you get to see a nation’s President and a host of soccer legends in one day?  Well that’s what the global signing up event for WC2010 legacy project 1GOAL delivered in Jo’burg and across the world today.

Full details of what happened where can be found on the 1GOAL website.  But I’ve got personal highlights from the South African event held at Ellis Park:

I arrived early to find Alex and Lexi from the Global Campaign for Education running around like mad things putting the final touches to the set and proceedings. 

Soon South African players, past and present, started to arrive.  They were followed by senior diplomats and dignitaries from the worlds of football and politics.  Shortly after the guests had been led into the auditorium by African gumboot dancers the President himself took his seat on stage. 

TV screens came to life linking us to world leaders, the Secretary General of the UN, FIFA president and even royalty in the form of Queen Rania of Jordan.   

Short speeches were followed by signatures in chalk on black boards to signify support for the project that aims to get 75 million children into education by 2015.   It was universally accepted that South Africa’s hosting of WC2010 is a unique opportunity to provide a legacy of education for all. 

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said:

“Let 1Goal shine out from the FIFA World Cup™ 2010, let our generation be the one to afford all children the right to education.”

He pledged that the UK would contribute £1bn a year to promote education in Africa and across the world.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown signs up to 1GOAL watched by President Jacob Zuma

South Africa’s President Zuma pointed out that “education is critical to the development and well being of mankind”.

British High Commissioner, Dr Nicola Brewer, thanks President Jacob Zuma.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon urged world leaders to deliver on the commitments that have already been made to provide primary education to every child on the planet.

Dr Brewer meets Gugu, the star of the South African show, and the local MC Rosie Motene

The loudest applause of the day was reserved for Gugu, a 9 year old student at the United Church School, Yeovil, South Africa.  Gugu joined world leaders in stressing the importance of the opportunities that education provides.  She signed up to 1GOAL.

Will you? 

Bafana Bafana player Matthew Boooooooooooooooth signs up!