Desmond Tutu and Global Moral Leaders Urge U.S. to Take Leadership in Creation of...

Desmond Tutu and Global Moral Leaders Urge U.S. to Take Leadership in Creation
of Global Fund for Education

Tuesday, June 30 -- Media Briefing -- Appeal to the G8 for commitment to a
Global Fund for Education

What: A briefing by teleconference with experts about the creation of a
Global Fund for Education during the upcoming meeting of G8 (L'Aquila, Italy,
July 8-10, 2009).

Who: Desmond M. Tutu, Emeritus Archbishop of Cape Town, Anglican Church of
Southern Africa; 1984 recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize
Desmond Bermingham, Visiting Fellow at the Center for Global Development and
former Head of the Education for All-Fast Track Initiative (FTI) Secretariat
at the World Bank
Joanne Carter, Executive Director, RESULTS Educational Fund.

When: Tuesday, June 30, 11:00 am EDT -- 1600 London (UK) time -- (GMT - 4) --
by teleconference

How: This call is for journalists only, who can call in from any phone. To
participate in the call, dial +1 877-879-6174 or +1 719-325-4793 from outside
the U.S., and enter passcode 4621643. Ask for the "Global Fund for Education
Conference Call." A recording and a transcript will also be available.

Why: As President Obama prepares to join other heads of state at the G8 in
Italy and then take his first presidential trip to Africa, 75 million children
are unable to attend school, 226 million adolescents are not enrolled in
secondary school, and 770 million adults remain illiterate. In over 50
countries, many in sub-Saharan Africa, half of all children never complete
primary school.

President Obama, in the midst of his campaign, boldly stated his commitment to
education by pledging at least $2 billion to establish a Global Fund for
Education. Earlier this month at his speech in Cairo he reaffirmed the
importance of education when he stated, "...a woman who is denied an education
is denied equality." But the president has not yet acted on his promise to
"close the education deficit" by providing at least $2 billion to establish a
Global Fund for Education.

On June 30, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Mrs. Mary Robinson, former President of
Ireland, and Professor Muhammad Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank, will issue an
urgent call to President Obama and the leaders of the other G8 countries to
accelerate action towards universal completion of a quality basic education by
launching a bold, ambitious, and fully-funded Global Fund for Education before
the end of the year. These world leaders believe that by investing in
education, the G8 can leverage huge returns in women and children's health,
nation and peace-building, and global economic development now and in the
future.

At this time of fiscal crises, it is even more imperative that we provide the
safety net of knowledge to the world's poorest children and save them from
paying with their lives for our financial mistakes. In Africa, the chance of a
child living beyond age five increases by 40 percent if the mother received
five years of primary education. Education also improves the health of
families and reduces vulnerability to HIV--if all children had a seat in a
classroom, 700,000 new HIV infections could be prevented each year.

For more information, contact:
Blair Hinderliter
RESULTS Educational Fund
+1 202-783-4800 x126
bhinderliter@results.org

/PRNewswire-USNewswire -- June 26/

SOURCE Global AIDS Alliance