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Educating children one signature at a time

Elk Valley locals are being encouraged to visit the Salvation Army thrift store before June 15 to sign the #UpForSchool global initiative.

The Fernie Salvation Army is pledging their support for the #UpForSchool petition — demanding that world leaders take immediate action to get every girl and boy into school.

Elk Valley locals are being encouraged to visit the Salvation Army thrift store before June 15 to sign the global initiative.

“It goes far beyond just the Salvation Army and the church component of the Salvation Army,” Major James Hägglund said, adding, “It goes into a proper ethics issue for all individuals, as when we think about children being educated, that’s important. By signing this petition, it will be one more push to help [children have access to school] in many countries around the world.”

According to the A World at School website, 28 million children are out of school due to conflict and environmental disasters, and last year only one per cent of humanitarian aid went to education.

“We, the world’s youth, teachers, parents and global citizens appeal to our government to keep their promise, made at the United Nations in 2000, to ensure all out-of school children gain their right to education before the end of 2015,” the #UpForSchool petition reads.

By mid-July, Hägglund hopes to ensure the petition brings pressure to world leaders.

He noted that he believes the local Salvation Army alone can generate 1,000 signatures.

“I believe that the vast majority of people accept that children should have a proper education and in Canada, we take that for granted, but in many parts of the world it just doesn’t happen,” he said. “Every child has the right to an education.”

Locals interested in signing the petition can visit the Salvation Amy and can follow the campaign online at www.aworldatschool.org/upforschool