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
- Rosie Nixon (Editor in Chief of HELLO magazine)
- Sarah Sands (Author and Journalist, former editor of the BBCR4 Today Programme)
- Alex Beard (Author and Broadcaster)
- Lennie Ware (Top Podcast Host and mother of Jessie Ware)
Parliamentarians
- 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
Think Tanks/networks/research
- Larry Cooley, President of the Society for International Development
- David Hallow, Research Director, EdTech Hub
- Luisa Edves, Director of Education and Skills, British Expertise International
- Pratik Dattani, Board Member, Bridge India
- Dr Nicholas Westcott CMG, Director, Royal African Society
Academia
- Dr Kevin Martin, Centre Manager, Digital Education Futures Initiative, Hughes Hall University of Cambridge
- Dr Craig Walker, Professor, The Open University
- Pauline Rose, Director, REAL Centre, University of Cambridge
Business
- David Armstrong, Partner, PWC
- Kyle Whitehill, Chief Executive Officer, Avanti Communications
- Debbie Mavis, Group HR Director, Avanti Communications
- Mark East, Senior Director - EMEA Regional Business Leader, Microsoft
- Jo Owen, Multi Award-Winning Business Author
Sports
- Cheriece Hylton, British Athlete
- Isaac Chamberlain, British Professional Boxer
- Hannah Mills OBE, British Competitive Sailor
- Marlie Packer, Women’s England Rugby Team
- Eilish McColgan, Scottish Long Distance Runner
- Ellie Aldridge, World Cup Medalist Kite Surfer
- Sophie Coldwell, Team England and World Triathlete
- Hannah Rankin, WBA Female Super-welterweight, Boxer
- Sedem Ama, Professional British Boxer
- Collins Injera, Kenyan National Rugby Team
Art/Artist
- Leigh Anne Pinnock (Singer-Songwriter from bestselling girl group, Little Mix)
- Donna Taggart, (singer-songwriter, viral internet sensation)
- Will Storr (Award-winning writer)
- Livia Firth (film producer and wife of Colin Firth),
- Oritse Williams (founding member of multi-million selling boyband JLS),
Activists
- Malala Yousafzai (world's youngest Nobel Prize laureate),
- Vanessa Nakate (leading global climate justice activist, founder, and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador)
- Vee Kativhu (United Nations Young Leader and Founder of Empowered by Vee)
- Bernardine Evaristo (Booker Prize award-winning novelist and activist)
- Hoda Ali, Human Rights Activist and Co-Founder of the Vavengers
CSO
- Rose Caldwell, CEO, Plan UK
- John Kirkland OBE, Chair, Diversity in Development
- Gwen Hines, CEO, Save the Children UK
- George Graham, Chief Executive, Humanity & Inclusion UK
- Girish Menon, CEO, StiR Education
- Celia Dignan, (Interim) Chair, Send My Friend to School Coalition, UK
- 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
- Rose Caldwell, CEO, Plan UK
- Rob Williams, CEO, War Child UK
- Adam Bailey, ONE Senior Campaigns Manager, UK & Ireland
Youth
- Michelle Kafe, GPE Youth Leader UK
- Zubair Junjunia, GPE Youth Leader UK
- Heela Yoon, GPE Youth Leader UK, United Nations SDG Young Leader and Founder of Afghan Youth Ambassadors for Peace Organization
- Asimawu Tahiru, GPE Youth Leader Ghana
- Clement Kaponda, GPE Youth Leader Zambia
- Oleksii Druz, GPE Youth Leader Ukraine
- Rosalie Schoemaker, GPE Youth Leader Netherlands
- Motunrayo Fatoke, GPE Youth Leader Nigeria
- Temilade Salami, GPE Youth Leader Nigeria
- Dhieu Mayom Deng, GPE Youth Leader Canada
- Salha Aziz, GPE Youth Leader Tanzania
- Anzal Abbas Jaffar, GPE Youth Leader Pakistan
- Francine Niyomuhoza, GPE Youth Leader Malawi
- Ngimou Victorine Nchokuno, GPE Youth Leader Cameroon
- Alisha Qamar, GPE Youth Leader Germany
- Amani Esperance, GPE Youth Leader Burundi
- Valentine Mugun, GPE Youth Leader Kenya
- Seme Luate Cons Lomoro, GPE Youth Leader South Sudan
- Ayesha Siddika, GPE Youth Leader Bangladesh
- Jonatan Balle Svendsen, GPE Youth Leader Alumni
- Selina Nkoile, GPE Youth Leader Alumni
- Maryam and Nivaal Rehman, GPE Youth Leaders Alumni
- Sikemi Okunrinboye, GPE Youth Leader Alumni
- Dương Phương Anh, GPE youth leader Alumni
- Diana Ayala, GPE Youth Leader Alumni
- Tomoe Nakano, GPE Youth Leader Alumni
- Ranja Diab, GPE Youth Leader Alumni
- Ayesha Farah, Youth Leader UK
- Mukhtar Halilu, GPE Youth Leader, Nigeria
- Ruszlan Biwoino, Youth Leader Germany
- Martine Billing, Youth Leader Norway
- Josephine Kamara, Youth Leader Sierra Leone
- Cynthia Nyongesa, Youth Leader Kenya
- Zoé Elkær Nicot, Youth Leader Denmark
- Shaikha Khalid Al-Shaibi, Youth Leader Qatar
- Inas El Aidi, Youth Leader France
- Lilia Touil, Youth Leader France
- Karen Kuntze, Youth Leader Germany
- Armel Azihar Sly-vania, GPE Youth Leader Comoros
- Melanie Graves, Youth4EIE Global Panelist UK
- Sarah Amu, Youth4EiE Global Panelist, UK
- Michelle Chikurunhe, Youth4EIE Global Panelist Zimbabwe
- Tabeth Chingwaru, Youth4EIE Global Panelist Zimbabwe
- Damien Baraka, Youth4EiE Global Panelist Malawi
- Angela Abeziera, Youth4EIE Global Panelist, Malawi
- Nataly Rivas, Youth4EIE Global Panelist, Ecuador
- Adaeze Ulebor, Save the Children UK, Youth Advisory Board member
- William Grunstein, Save the Children UK, Youth Advisory Board Member
- Eve Grant, Save the Children UK, Youth Advisory Board Member
- Roisin Cunningham, Save the Children UK, Youth Advisory Board Member
- Arunima Karve, Save the Children UK, Youth Advisory Board Member
- Hermione Kasirye, Save the Children UK, Youth Advisory Board Member
- Olga Mitala, Save the Children UK, Youth Advisory Board Member
- Tony Silas, ONE Campaign Youth Champion, Nigeria
- Zigwai Tagwai, ONE Campaign Youth Champion, Nigeria
- Zanna Samaila, ONE Campaign Youth Champion, Nigeria
- Eniola Oladipo, ONE Campaign Youth Champion, Nigeria
- Situma Desmond, ONE Campaign Youth Champion, Belgium
- Manuel Frank, ONE Campaign Youth Champion, Germany
- Jonas Nitschke, ONE Campaign Youth Champion, Germany
- Luna Mercuri, ONE Youth Ambassador, Italy
- Emily Davies, Save the Children UK, Youth Advisory Board Member
- Frances Logan, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
- Holly Sheridan, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
- Kehinde Odanye, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
- Uzoamaka Chukwuemeka, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
- Kimberley Shaw, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
- Kimberly Tozana, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
- Tara Geoghegan, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
- Diana Hysenaj, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
- Oseodion Ogbebor, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
- Olufunmi Adewole, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
- Paris Emmerson, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
- Kayana Campbell, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
- Samuela Okyere, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
- Kayla Arnold, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
- Stylianos Stratinakis, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
- Amy Whittle, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
- Anish Subramaniam, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
- Juliet Arukwe, ONE Youth Ambassador, UK
- Sadie Rose Ball, Send My Friend to School Campaign Champion
- Sophie Daniels, Send My Friend to School, Campaign Champion
- Princess Ismijola, Send My Friend to School, Campaign Champion
- Maryia Jenny, Send My Friend to School, Campaign Champion
- Mia Currie, Send My Friend to School, Campaign Champion
- Olivia Du Preez, Send My Friend to School Campaign Champion