No.48 September 2006 |
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In just the last decade, over 2 million children have been killed as
a direct result of armed conflict and more than three times that number
have been permanently disabled or seriously injured. An estimated 20
million children have been forced to flee their homes and hundreds of
thousands of young boys and girls have been forced to serve as child
soldiers.
Unite forChildren Unite for Peace
has been launched to directly address these issues. The objective of this
campaign, which UNICEF and FIFA brought
to the hundreds of millions of the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, is
to ensure that every child has the right to a peaceful world, free from
conflict and abuse.
Football reaches more youth than any other recreational activity in
the world. Football's magic touch is a worldwide phenomenon, making
the sport more than just a game. It plays a major part in shaping culture
in countries the world over. Harnessing the power of football, a universal
language all children understand, can translate into an effective tool
to combat violence and conflict, enabling children to grow up in more
peaceful societies.
This campaign was born out of the strong bond FIFA and UNICEF developed
over the last seven years and FIFA's continual generosity to help UNICEF
achieve its mission of health, education, equality and protection for
every child.
In 2004, for example, FIFA donated 1,200 'Sports-in-a-Box' recreation
kits to UNICEF for countries affected by conflict. The donation helped
each of these countries develop sport-related programming for peace
education and peace-building.
To build on the success of that initiative, UNICEF
and FIFA have come together once again to promote the Unite forChildren
Unite for Peace theme, which encompasses a number of country
programs and specifically focuses on global communications both during
and following the 2006 FIFA World Cup. It will strive not only to promote
peace internationally and nationally but to also reach deep into local
communities and communicate with people on an individual level.
The campaign seeks to promote the values of peace and to address the
widespread problem of violence and discrimination against children.
Contact:
Alison Qualter Berna Sports for Development Office of Public Partnerships UNICEF Three United Nations Plaza, rm 1134 New York, NY 10017 tel: +1 212 326 7553 fax: +1 646 797 0248 aqualter@unicef.org ![]() http://www.icsspe.org/portal/index.php?w=1&z=5 |