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	Mandela demands action from the G8 leaders this July   Young GCE activists with Nelson Mandela at Trafalgar Square   Kids show their "Friends" to the crowd - symbolising over 100 million girls and boys who don't go to school
	Past Issues - April 2005 Note: Most hyperlinks will open in a new window. Please close the new window in order to be automatically returned to the GCE site. ACCORDING TO LATEST ESTIMATES, 3000 politicians have gone Back to School already, while over 100,000 friends have been made, and hundreds of thousands of children and young people have already joined the Send my Friend to School campaign, organised by the Global Campaign for Education - with more events planned over the next few days. Young people have been able to deliver their 'friends' and meet to discuss their demands for more and better education in high places, including the Presidents and Prime Ministers of eight countries (Benin, Ethiopia, Ghana, Senegal, Peru, Niger, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of Congo) and by thousands of parliamentarians in over 100 countries. Democratic Republic of Congo - Vice President launches Action Week and President of the Assembly listens to children's views The Vice President of DRC launched the Global Action Week on April 25, when he met with the campaign organisers to discuss the campaign and state of education in DRC (view pictures of the event). A massive national event took place on April 26, where 750 children presented their views in front of the President of the Republic, and the National Assembly. Throughout the week politicians have been going 'Back to School'. The Minister of Primary, Secondary and Professional Teaching, the Minster of Women and Family, as well as the Minster of Youth and Sports have all gone 'back to school' - as well as many more local politicians. Senegal - Artists, children and local politicians join together to deliver their message to the President of the Republic Tomorrow, on April 29, hundreds of children are expected to join with local politicians to give a message to the President of the Republic. Senegalese artists, including Youssou Ndour and Baba Maal ambassadors for UNICEF and UNDP, respectively, will launch messages during the national demonstration. Egypt - Egyptian children have made 10,000 'friends' The Deputy Minister of Education and other celebrities went Back to School to see a 'girl-friendly' school and to learn lessons on how all schools in Egypt can be more accessible and encouraging for girls. 430 schools from around the country have participated in this event, creating over 10,000 'friends' in total. Vietnam - 600 out-of-school children ask representatives of the Ministry of Education to Send ME to School On Saturday April 23, in Hanoi, over 600 children, including street and working children and children with disabilities participated in a large event at the Children's Palace. The out-of-school children asked those present to "send me to school. Representatives from the Ministry of Education and Training and Ministry of Justice were present. Later in the day, 600 street- or working-children with cut-out 'friends' took part in a demonstration in Hanoi. Malawi - Deputy Minister presented with messages from young people. The Deputy Minister of Education was presented Send my Friend to School messages by school going children. The children requested the Deputy Minister of education to present the messages to the President. School children have been writing messages about their 'friends', in an act of solidarity with all children missing out on education, the messages, with the names of children to be sent back to were displayed on walls and trees where every one had a chance to read them. A march with the children involved in the national event was also held on the same day. View pictures of the Malawi events Nigeria - Activities kicked off in Nigeria with the Minister for Education receiving 'friends' from children and addressing the press The Minister of Education started the Action Week in Nigeria by addressing the press Nigerian Governments' road map to achieving EFA and the MDGs - the press conference was held as a result of successful lobbying by civil society for increased transparency by the Government in its plans to eliminate poverty and achieve the MDGs. On April 25 over 500 children sent their 'friends' to the Minister of Education, Minister of Finance and Minister of Women's Affairs and Youth Development. This was mirrored by similar events across the regions of Nigeria. UNESCO Headquarters Paris - 25 artists exhibit their 'friends' for Action Week Twenty-four artists, from diverse origins, have participated in a Send my Friend to School exhibition, making 'friends' and decorating them with education slogans. The exhibition opened at UNESCO headquarters on 25 April. UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura inaugurated the exhibition, in the presence of Senegalese artist Ousmane Sow , patron of the exhibition. Gambia -Minister of Education expected to make a pledge during a national event The Action Week was started in the Gambia with Prayers in all Mosques and Churches across the country. Throughout the week regional pledge events have been taking place. During the events children are presenting their 'friends' to politicians and asking them to sign a pledge - in the Gambia children have been making unique puppet 'friends', using brooms and other materials. The will end a National Pledge Event, during which the Minister of Education is expected to sign a pledge and send the information to the head of state. Haiti - Groups question political parties stand on education during the election period Children excluded from education and academics have been using the election period in Haiti to question the leaders of political parties on their election pledges for education - ensuring that education has become a clear electoral issue. See more pictures of event from across the world See pictures from the Bangladesh - Photographs in from the 'Meet the Law-Makers' event View pictures from the Japanese 'friends' art exhibition 26 April 2005 Back to Top HELP US TO SEND 1 MILLION 'FRIENDS' TO THE G8. As the Global Action Week begins to build momentum, the GCE launches today a special Send my Friend to School online action. The GCE will be delivering a million 'friends', collected from around the world to G8 leaders at the G8 Summit in Scotland in July. Help us to make a million by making an online 'friend' at: www.sendmyfriend.info If you want to send 'friends' made in your country to the G8 please contact: actionweek@campaignforeducation.org Meanwhile, exciting country plans continue to flood in. Below are just some of the country highlights - more country news will follow over the coming week. Ghana - the President and Vice President to meet with 'friends' In Ghana the Action Week will be kick-started with a national launch by the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, attended by Ministers and children. The event will take place in a deprived fishing area, where many children are out-of-school, and will be followed by a visit to local schools. The week will culminate on April 29 when a delegation of children and their 'friends' will meet the President - this will be mirrored by regional events with 'friends' being delivered to Regional Ministers. Ethiopia - Students to march on Parliament with their 'friends' In Ethiopia a student march is planned where 'friends' will descend on the Parliament Building, a meeting will follow with the President. Simultaneous marches will take place in regional capitals. Germany - Vice-President meeting with 'friends' Students will meet with the Vice President of the German national parliament, Dr. Susanne Kastner in front of the parliament building in Berlin. Large life-sized 'friends' are being made to be presented to national and local politicians when they go 'back to school', while smaller 'friends' are being made to be sent to the G8-summit in Scotland in July. Denmark - Development Minister to open exhibition of 'friends' Nearly 20,000 'friends' have been made in Denmark - they will be displayed alongside a special 'friend' exhibition by the world famous artist, Olafur Eliasson. The exhibition will open at the April 26, by the Danish Minister for Development. Children have also been busy learning about education around the world in schools across the country, an amazing 1 in every 7 Danish pupils have participated. As part of their lessons they were read the 'Reading Rocket', which is collection of short stories, donated by famous Danish writers. Canada - Breakfast meeting with 'friends' and Canadian MP "Friends" will be collected and presented to government and public officials during a breakfast with Members of Parliament of the Canadian Government. Later, one 'friend' from each region will be selected to be sent for the G8 events as the 'virtual' Canadian delegation. Cambodia - Colourful rally with 'friends' A colourful rally with 'friends' made by Cambodian children, with an estimated 2,000 children will march through the streets. Uruguay - 'Friends' to be sent to the Head of Education The Mayor of Montevideo will start the Action Week in Uruguay by signing a pledge on a 'friend' to help get all children into school. The closing ceremony, on April 29th, will display 'friends' from throughout the country before they are handed to politicians and celebrities. India - Run with 'friends', followed by MPs going 'back to school' In India the coalition is planning the first ever 'protest marathon' which will kcik-off simultaneously across the country at 11.30am on April 24, 3000 children - both school going and non-school going - will be taking part. Later in the week, on April 27 & 28, MPs will be going 'back to school'. 22 April 2005 Back to Top ©2004 GCE You are welcome to reproduce items from the GCE E-News for any non-profit use, as long as you credit GCE together with any original source mentioned in the article. IN THIS SECTION News Headlines News in Full Past Issues Sign up to receive News Upcoming Events
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