We’ll be getting a big boost from the likes of Robbie Van Persie and Theo Walcott when the Arsenal team donates a day’s wages when they play against Fulham on Sunday, 26 November.
It’s monsoon and, during these rainy days, my mind wanders to thoughts of ten-year-old Tariq. I remember his family cowering under their small shack in Koyra of southwestern Bangladesh.
Most of all I remember his tranquil big brown eyes cloud over with fear when he spoke about Cyclone Aila.
Last month, in Cambodia, I met about 50 colleagues from across Asia intrested in communicating about children’s issues to the outside world. Among other things, I had to think about what to say to a room full of professionals, that would help them inspire the world to do more for Asian kids. I opted for football…
It’s only a week since the World Cup ended, though it seems longer since the vuvuzelas fell silent and the world became a little more ordinary again. One of the upsides of coming home is that I was finally able to upload my last few vidblogs for the 1GOAL campaign.
On Tuesday 6 July I got changed into my suit at a petrol station near the airport and headed straight into meetings with President Zuma’s office. Tuesday 6 July
On Thursday I got the chance to go to Winnie Ngwekazi Primary School in Soweto and had a kickabout with Shaka Hislop, John Barnes and a group of 9-year-olds (this is work, honest). Thursday 8 July
On Sunday we finally got to the big education summit… here’s how it went: Final Day
And if you want to see all of 12-year-old Nthabiseng Tshabalala’s challenge to world leaders at the summit, here it is: Nthabiseng’s speech
The campaign goes on, with lots to do before the UN Millennium Development Goals summit in September. Keep up to date here.
It’s the World Cup Final on Sunday, but I’m not thinking about that. I’m thinking about the vast, pitiless void that’s waiting immediately after the final whistle.
I can’t believe it’s almost over. Never mind goal-line technology, top of Sepp Blatter’s priority list should be extending the World Cup by at least a fortnight, especially given how much effort I put into watching the thing.
It’s always a bit strange meeting someone whose voice you’ve heard so often on the radio but never seen what they look like in the flesh. Before meeting Mike Thomson – reporter for BBC Radio 4 Today Programme – I did a quick google on him to find a picture. In reality the picture didn’t look like him at all so it wasn’t much help!
Went to Pretoria today to meet with President Zuma’s staff about the 7 July World Education Summit. Here’s my update…
Here’s my vidblog for the weekend, which took us all day to upload because our internet connection can come and go a bit here…
11.30am, in half an hour the 1GOAL school bus sets off for the England / USA game. It won’t be a luxury ride for the next three hours, but it should have character…
5.30am alarm call to go to do BBC Breakfast News live from the Orlando Stadium, where the big World Cup kick-off concert is happening tonight. Interviewed by BBC sport man Chris Hollins (here we are below). It’s been really warm during the day since I arrived in South Africa on Tuesday, but this morning in that park across the road from the stadium it was FREEZING.
