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THE Salvation Army has pledged its support to the , which demands that world leaders take immediate action to get every girl and boy into school.

Salvationists, friends and students of Salvation Army education establishments are being urged to join the five million people who have already signed the petition. These signatures will be collected in time for the church and charity鈥檚 150th anniversary congress in London in July.聽鈥�

The Salvation Army is . Sign our petition to get every girl and boy into school:

鈥� Salvation Army IHQ (@SalvArmyIHQ)

The international community made a promise in 2000 to get every child into school by 2015 鈥� but progress has stalled.聽鈥ㄢ�∟ow, through the #UpForSchool campaign, young people, non-governmental organisations, civil society, teachers, faith-based organisations and more than 100 of the world鈥檚 leading businesses are coming together to call for action now for all children.

The international leader of , General Andr茅 Cox, is supportive of the petition and hopes The Salvation Army in 126 countries can mobilise people to add their signatures.

He said: 鈥楾he greatest resource in the world today is not oil, gold or money 鈥� it鈥檚 the millions of young people whose potential is yet to be realised. We need to empower them, support them and engage with them. School provides a route out of poverty and good education is vital if every child is to have the opportunity to reach his or her full potential.鈥�

鈥ㄢ�═he Salvation Army has been involved in education since its early days. In 2015, as it celebrates its 150th anniversary, it runs 2700 schools, colleges and universities worldwide, with 18,485 teachers providing an education to 686,166 pupils 鈥� including a large number who wouldn鈥檛 otherwise be able to go to school. 鈥�

Have you signed our petition? leader Comr Robert Donaldson has!

鈥� Salvation Army IHQ (@SalvArmyIHQ)

On July 3 the main session of the will have a social justice focus and The Salvation Army petitions will be collated and presented on that day. Each Salvation Army territory, region and command is being asked to encourage its members, officers, employees, staff and others 鈥� including children over the age of seven 鈥� to sign the petition, showing that they care deeply about the transformative power of education for every child.

If every one of these pupils and teachers signed the petition, along with every Salvation Army officer and every senior and junior member, they would add almost 2.5 million signatures!

Comr Floyd Tidd (Australia Southern) has signed . Add your voice; share w/ friends

鈥� Salvation Army IHQ (@SalvArmyIHQ)

Ben Hewitt, Director of Campaigns at A World at School, said: 鈥榃e are excited to be in partnership with The Salvation Army as part of the global movement.

鈥淔aith communities have played a vital role in many of the great social justice movements that have聽transformed聽the lives of millions of people聽around聽the world and it is inspiring to be聽working together on this historic campaign to get every girl and boy into school and learning. No child should be denied an education and together we are building a message that no world leader can ignore.鈥�

Salvation Army YouTube news show features #UpForSchool

The #UpForSchool Petition, including all the signatures collected by The Salvation Army, will be presented by Gordon Brown 鈥� in his role as 鈥� to world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly in September.

How you can sign The Salvation Army鈥檚 #UpForSchool Petition

鈥�1.聽A聽paper petition聽can be printed from one of the many different language files . Petitions should be sent to the relevant territorial/command/regional headquarters (from where A World At School will collect them).聽The cut-off date for signed paper petitions to be at headquarters is June 30.聽鈥ㄢ��

2.聽An聽electronic petition聽is and can be signed until聽8am聽(UK time) on July 3.聽鈥ㄢ�ˋ World at School resources to help promote the petition can be .