Sturgeon Bay Seventh-day Adventist Church issued the following announcement.
On October 13, 2020, the Seventh-day Adventist Church and its global humanitarian arm, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), announced the second phase of the Every Child. Everywhere. In School. campaign during this year’s global church leadership meetings. The joint initiative will now mobilize government support in countries around the world through the Adventist Church 22-million-plus membership — including individuals, church ministries, schools, and partners to influence positive change so that every child can have access to education.
[WATCH: The Adventist Church and ADRA’s “Next Steps” Video in English, Spanish, Portuguese, or French.]
“The COVID-19 pandemic has created even greater challenges for the most vulnerable children. Ninety-four percent of the world’s student population has been impacted by this crisis. It is our responsibility as a global church to ensure that we care for children as God cares for us,” says Ted Wilson, president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. “The Adventist church has one of the largest Christian educational systems in the world and with more than 22 million church members globally, we have the moral and Christian obligation to ensure that every child, everywhere has access to a quality education, regardless of race, religion or circumstance.”
The first phase of the grassroots advocacy effort kicked-off in October 2019 with a petition drive aimed at collecting a million online signatures by 2020, to raise awareness and support for the millions of children, adolescents and youth globally who lack education. According to the latest report by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) data, one out of five children and youth are out of school, and the coronavirus pandemic is responsible for the largest disruption in history, affecting 1.6 billion learners in more than 190 countries, across every continent.
The Every Child. Everywhere. In School. campaign surpassed its one million petition goal in July of this year. ADRA and Adventist church members in nearly 200 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas, and the South Pacific pledged their support to call on world leaders, local governments, and decision makers to take action to improve children’s education everywhere.
“We have laid the groundwork for the next phase of this campaign. Now we have a unique opportunity to focus on an issue that has affected nearly every child around the world during the pandemic, a problem that will only worsen unless we step up and speak out. This is why in partnership with the global Adventist church we will be reaching out to government leaders, lawmakers and citizens to advocate for more investments in education and better access for all children so that they can play a strong role in building healthy and prosperous communities and nations,” says Michael Kruger, president of ADRA. “It is time to encourage world leaders and policy makers to value education and to make the necessary changes to meet the educational needs of children around the world. We must work together to enable children to succeed in school, and live free from exploitation and poverty.”
Original source here.
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