International: The General is #UpForSchool

The Salvation Army is urging people to sign a petition calling on world leaders to keep their promise from the year 2000 that all children in the world will go to school and have the opportunity to learn and achieve their potential.  

Almost five million people have already signed the #UpForSchool petition including The Salvation Army’s world leader, General André Cox. Any adult or child aged seven or over can sign it. General Cox hopes that The Salvation Army's million-plus members will follow his example and add their names to what is predicted to become the biggest petition in history.   

The petition will be used to challenge world leaders, showing that there is a movement of people standing up for the 58 million children around the world who are currently excluded from school because they are child labourers, married too young, discriminated against, exploited or living in war-torn regions where their schools, schoolchildren and teachers are under attack.   

In September 2015 the #UpForSchool petition, including all the signatures collected by The Salvation Army, will be presented to world leaders by the United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education, and former UK Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Gordon Brown.  

He said: “The Salvation Army is working around the world to support the #UpForSchool campaign to get every child into school and offer them a better future. The role of the faith communities in the Up For School campaign is crucial as together we can create a powerful message that no world leader can ignore. Every child has the right to an education, no matter who they are or where they live. I want to thank The Salvation Army for being a key partner in this historic movement.”  

People can sign the petition electronically until 8 am (UK time) on Friday 3 July 2015 HERE or can sign a paper copy of the petition. Paper copies and further information and resources can be accessed HERE. UK-based paper petitions should be sent to The Salvation Army’s Territorial Headquarters’ media department in Newington Causeway, London by June 15.