Queen Rania. Photo by Dick Iannuzzi.
A global initiative to ensure education for all children by 2015 is tops on the agenda at the United Nations Millennium Development Goals summit, says NYSUT President Dick Iannuzzi, who is representing the American Federation of Teachers at the summit convened at the U.N. in New York City.
Leaders from around the world are gathered for the two-day summit to measure their success in eradicating world poverty and press for continued progress. Today's speakers included former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Queen Rania of Jordan.
"The ideas that are taking shape and the discussions that are under way here embody one of our union's core principles: that everyone has a shared responsibility to ensure that each student has access to a high-quality education," Iannuzzi said from the conference. "Education is the surest route to combat poverty."
Iannuzzi praised U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and U.S. Representative Nita Lowey for their co-sponsorship of the Education for All Act, which they announced just before the U.N. summit opened. The act would help achieve universal basic education for every out-of-school child.
For more information on the global initiative of education for all children, go to the website for 1GOAL: Education for All, at www.join1goal.org.