Celebrities from sport, music, business, politics and journalism have united to sign a youth-led open letter addressed to all UK political parties. The letter calls for a simple commitment to ‘protect, prioritize and increase funding to education globally’.

The letter was referenced in an article in The Telegraph.

Here is the full text of the open letter and the list of signatories to date:

Dear U.K. Political Party Leaders,

Re: Global education can unite us

As we head toward a general election, our minds are swimming; with all the wrongs that need to be righted and all the rights that need to be wrestled for.

Top amongst these is every child’s right to an education. With conflicts raging around the world, hunger overwhelming populations, climate crises dramatically rising and the equality gap growing painfully, why is education top of our to-do list? Because education is both the greatest solution and the greatest victim of all these global issues we face.

The UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, recognised that every opportunity he has been fortunate enough to seize in his life is owing to the education he received and in his new year’s speech touted education as ‘the single most important reason why I came into politics: to give every child the highest possible standard of education’. 

If we translated this globally, imagine the world we could be living in? Less death, disease, and disaster – more prosperity, peace, innovation, and a fair and just society. Isn’t that what we want for every child?

This isn’t a pipedream. This is an achievable goal, if we work in partnership, protect and increase financing to education, and show the same determination and resilience we would if a child was standing right in front of us desperately asking us to make their simple dream come true – to have a quality education and learn.

Every political party in the UK can and must get behind this urgent goal; to turn the tide on the learning crisis and ensure we help create a legacy we can stand behind and be proud of.

We are at the halfway point to the 2030 deadline to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all - and things are only getting worse. That’s why we need unity and shared determination, now.  

We are calling on every political party to demonstrate their support for Sustainable Development Goal 4 by including a commitment in their Manifestos to the protection and increase of financing to global education, including ensuring a fully funded Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and Education Cannot Wait (ECW).

Yours, with fresh hope,

Malala Yousafzai (world's youngest Nobel Prize laureate)

Livia Firth (film producer and wife of Colin Firth)

Rosie Nixon (Editor in Chief of HELLO magazine)

Rachel Riley OBE (British Television Presenter, Countdown)

Bernardine Evaristo (Booker Prize award-winning novelist and activist), 

Oritse Williams (founding member of multi-million selling boyband JLS), 

Leigh Anne Pinnock (Singer-Songwriter from international best-selling girl group, Little Mix), 

Eileen Cooper RA OBE (renowned Royal Academian Artist)

Vanessa Nakate (leading global climate justice activist, founder, and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador)

Vee Kativhu (YouTube sensation, United Nations Young Leader and Founder of Empowered by Vee)

Will Storr (Award-winning author)

Hannah Mills OBE (British Competitive Sailor)

Marlie Packer (Women’s England Rugby Team)

Sophie Coldwell (Team England and World Triathlete)

Hannah Rankin (WBA Female Super-welterweight Boxer)

David Armstrong (Partner, PWC)

Mark East (Senior Director - EMEA Regional Business Leader, Microsoft)

Jo Owen (Multi Award-Winning Business Author)

Lennie Ware (Top Podcast Host and mother of Jessie Ware)

Flick Drummond, MP for Meon Valley

Baroness Christine Blower

Dan Carden, MP for Liverpool, Walton

Rushanara Ali, MP for Bethnal Green and Bow

Lord Purvis of Tweed (Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs, Trade, and International Development)

Virendra Sharma, MP for Ealing Southall

Ian Byrne, MP for Liverpool West Derby

Chris Law, Scottish National Party MP for Dundee West

Patrick Grady, Scottish National Party MP for Glasgow North

Gwen Hines, CEO, Save the Children UK

Rose Caldwell, CEO, Plan UK

George Graham, Chief Executive, Humanity & Inclusion UK

Girish Menon, CEO, StiR Education

Kitty Arie, CEO, RESULTS UK

Mark Sheard, CEO, World Vision UK

Dr Faith Mwangi-Powell, CEO, Girls Not Brides: The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage

Catherine Gladwell, Chief Executive, Refugee Education UK

Rob Williams, CEO, War Child UK

FULL LIST OF ENDORSEES BY SECTOR

Media 

1. Rosie Nixon (Editor in Chief of HELLO magazine)
2. Sarah Sands (Author and Journalist, former editor of the BBCR4 Today Programme)
3. Alex Beard (Author and Broadcaster)
4. Lennie Ware (Top Podcast Host and mother of Jessie Ware)

Parliamentarians

5. Flick Drummond, MP for Meon Valley
6. Baroness Christine Blower
7. Dan Carden, MP for Liverpool, Walton
8. Rushanara Ali, MP for Bethnal Green and Bow
9. Lord Purvis of Tweed (Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs, Trade, and International Development)
10. Virendra Sharma, MP for Ealing Southall
11. Ian Byrne, MP for Liverpool West Derby
12. Chris Law, Scottish National Party MP for Dundee West
13. Patrick Grady, Scottish National Party MP for Glasgow North

Think Tanks/networks/research

14. Larry Cooley, President of the Society for International Development
15. David Hallow, Research Director, EdTech Hub
16. Luisa Edves, Director of Education and Skills, British Expertise International
17. Pratik Dattani, Board Member, Bridge India
18. Dr Nicholas Westcott CMG, Director, Royal African Society

Academia

19. Dr Kevin Martin, Centre Manager, Digital Education Futures Initiative, Hughes Hall University of Cambridge
20. Dr Craig Walker, Professor, The Open University
21. Pauline Rose, Director, REAL Centre, University of Cambridge

Business 

22. David Armstrong, Partner, PWC
23. Kyle Whitehill, Chief Executive Officer, Avanti Communications
24. Debbie Mavis, Group HR Director, Avanti Communications
25. Mark East, Senior Director - EMEA Regional Business Leader, Microsoft
26. Jo Owen, Multi Award-Winning Business Author

Sports 

27. Cheriece Hylton, British Athlete
28. Isaac Chamberlain, British Professional Boxer
29. Hannah Mills OBE, British Competitive Sailor
30. Marlie Packer, Women’s England Rugby Team
31. Eilish McColgan, Scottish Long Distance Runner
32. Ellie Aldridge, World Cup Medalist Kite Surfer
33. Sophie Coldwell, Team England and World Triathlete
34. Hannah Rankin, WBA Female Super-welterweight, Boxer
35. Sedem Ama, Professional British Boxer
36. Collins Injera, Kenyan National Rugby Team

Art/Artist 

37. Leigh Anne Pinnock (Singer-Songwriter from bestselling girl group, Little Mix)
38. Donna Taggart, (singer-songwriter, viral internet sensation)
39. Will Storr (Award-winning writer)
40. Livia Firth (film producer and wife of Colin Firth), 
41. Oritse Williams (founding member of multi-million selling boyband JLS), 

Activists 

42. Malala Yousafzai (world's youngest Nobel Prize laureate), 
43. Vanessa Nakate (leading global climate justice activist, founder, and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador)
44. Vee Kativhu (United Nations Young Leader and Founder of Empowered by Vee)
45. Bernardine Evaristo (Booker Prize award-winning novelist and activist)
46. Hoda Ali, Human Rights Activist and Co-Founder of the Vavengers

CSO

47. Rose Caldwell, CEO, Plan UK
48. John Kirkland OBE, Chair, Diversity in Development
49. Gwen Hines, CEO, Save the Children UK
50. George Graham, Chief Executive, Humanity & Inclusion UK
51. Girish Menon, CEO, StiR Education
52. Celia Dignan, (Interim) Chair, Send My Friend to School Coalition, UK
53. Kitty Arie, CEO, RESULTS UK
54. Mark Sheard, CEO, World Vision UK
55. Dr Faith Mwangi-Powell, CEO, Girls Not Brides: The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage
56. Catherine Gladwell, Chief Executive, Refugee Education UK
57. Rose Caldwell, CEO, Plan UK
58. Rob Williams, CEO, War Child UK
59. Adam Bailey, ONE Senior Campaigns Manager, UK & Ireland

Youth

60. Michelle Kafe, GPE Youth Leader UK
61. Zubair Junjunia, GPE Youth Leader UK
62. Heela Yoon, GPE Youth Leader UK, United Nations SDG Young Leader and Founder of Afghan Youth Ambassadors for Peace Organization
63. Asimawu Tahiru, GPE Youth Leader Ghana
64. Clement Kaponda, GPE Youth Leader Zambia
65. Oleksii Druz, GPE Youth Leader Ukraine
66. Rosalie Schoemaker, GPE Youth Leader Netherlands
67. Motunrayo Fatoke, GPE Youth Leader Nigeria
68. Temilade Salami, GPE Youth Leader Nigeria
69. Dhieu Mayom Deng, GPE Youth Leader Canada
70. Salha Aziz, GPE Youth Leader Tanzania
71. Anzal Abbas Jaffar, GPE Youth Leader Pakistan
72. Francine Niyomuhoza, GPE Youth Leader Malawi
73. Ngimou Victorine Nchokuno, GPE Youth Leader Cameroon
74. Alisha Qamar, GPE Youth Leader Germany
75. Amani Esperance, GPE Youth Leader Burundi
76. Valentine Mugun, GPE Youth Leader Kenya
77. Seme Luate Cons Lomoro, GPE Youth Leader South Sudan
78. Ayesha Siddika, GPE Youth Leader Bangladesh
79. Jonatan Balle Svendsen, GPE Youth Leader Alumni
80. Selina Nkoile, GPE Youth Leader Alumni
81. Maryam and Nivaal Rehman, GPE Youth Leaders Alumni
82. Sikemi Okunrinboye, GPE Youth Leader Alumni
83. Dương Phương Anh, GPE youth leader Alumni
84. Diana Ayala, GPE Youth Leader Alumni
85. Tomoe Nakano, GPE Youth Leader Alumni
86. Ranja Diab, GPE Youth Leader Alumni
87. Ayesha Farah, Youth Leader UK
88. Mukhtar Halilu, GPE Youth Leader, Nigeria
89. Ruszlan Biwoino, Youth Leader Germany
90. Martine Billing, Youth Leader Norway
91. Josephine Kamara, Youth Leader Sierra Leone
92. Cynthia Nyongesa, Youth Leader Kenya
93. Zoé Elkær Nicot, Youth Leader Denmark
94. Shaikha Khalid Al-Shaibi, Youth Leader Qatar
95. Inas El Aidi, Youth Leader France
96. Lilia Touil, Youth Leader France
97. Karen Kuntze, Youth Leader Germany
98. Armel Azihar Sly-vania, GPE Youth Leader Comoros
99. Melanie Graves, Youth4EIE Global Panelist UK
100. Sarah Amu, Youth4EiE Global Panelist, UK
101. Michelle Chikurunhe, Youth4EIE Global Panelist Zimbabwe
102. Tabeth Chingwaru, Youth4EIE Global Panelist Zimbabwe
103. Damien Baraka, Youth4EiE Global Panelist Malawi
104. Angela Abeziera, Youth4EIE Global Panelist, Malawi
105. Nataly Rivas, Youth4EIE Global Panelist, Ecuador
106. Adaeze Ulebor, Save the Children UK, Youth Advisory Board member
107. William Grunstein, Save the Children UK, Youth Advisory Board Member
108. Eve Grant, Save the Children UK, Youth Advisory Board Member
109. Roisin Cunningham, Save the Children UK, Youth Advisory Board Member
110. Arunima Karve, Save the Children UK, Youth Advisory Board Member
111. Hermione Kasirye, Save the Children UK, Youth Advisory Board Member
112. Olga Mitala, Save the Children UK, Youth Advisory Board Member
113. Tony Silas, ONE Campaign Youth Champion, Nigeria
114. Zigwai Tagwai, ONE Campaign Youth Champion, Nigeria
115. Zanna Samaila, ONE Campaign Youth Champion, Nigeria
116. Eniola Oladipo, ONE Campaign Youth Champion, Nigeria
117. Situma Desmond, ONE Campaign Youth Champion, Belgium
118. Manuel Frank, ONE Campaign Youth Champion, Germany
119. Jonas Nitschke, ONE Campaign Youth Champion, Germany
120. Luna Mercuri, ONE Youth Ambassador, Italy
121. Emily Davies, Save the Children UK, Youth Advisory Board Member
122. Frances Logan, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
123. Holly Sheridan, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
124. Kehinde Odanye, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
125. Uzoamaka Chukwuemeka, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
126. Kimberley Shaw, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
127. Kimberly Tozana, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
128. Tara Geoghegan, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
129. Diana Hysenaj, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
130. Oseodion Ogbebor, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
131. Olufunmi Adewole, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
132. Paris Emmerson, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
133. Kayana Campbell, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
134. Samuela Okyere, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
135. Kayla Arnold, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
136. Stylianos Stratinakis, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
137. Amy Whittle, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
138. Anish Subramaniam, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
139. Juliet Arukwe, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
140. Sadie Rose Ball, Send My Friend to School Campaign Champion
141. Sophie Daniels, Send My Friend to School, Campaign Champion
142. Princess Ismijola, Send My Friend to School, Campaign Champion
143. Maryia Jenny, Send My Friend to School, Campaign Champion
144. Mia Currie, Send My Friend to School, Campaign Champion
145. Olivia Du Preez, Send My Friend to School Campaign Champion