UNICEF, the CGF and the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games have announced a unique collaboration that seeks to touch the lives of children in Scotland and in Commonwealth countries across the world.
This partnership brings together UNICEF, the world’s leading organisation for children, with the biggest sporting and cultural event ever to take place in Scotland, with the aim of inspiring and enabling children to be the best they can be.
The partnership was unveiled last week by the first Olympic female boxing gold medallist, Nicola Adams, at Swinton Primary School in the east end of Glasgow – a Rights Respecting School that is supported by the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) and an example of grass roots level activity in Scotland.
The event was hosted by pupils who demonstrated their hopes for a better future for children in song, poetry and pledges before asking Nicola, Glasgow 2014 Chief Executive David Grevemberg, UNICEF UK Executive Director David Bull and CGF’s Bruce Robertson, to add their opinions to the wall.
Ewan McGregor and David Beckham have also given their backing to plans to put children at the heart of Glasgow’s 2014 Commonwealth Games legacy. The Scottish Hollywood star and England footballer are ambassadors for United Nations children’s charity Unicef . Actor McGregor, who is from Perthshire, said the link-up “opens the door to helping transform children’s lives”.
David Grevemberg, Chief Executive of Glasgow 2014 said:
“The children of Swinton Primary in Glasgow have a powerful message for children throughout Scotland and across the Commonwealth. Put simply, they want to be the best they can be. I am thrilled that through our new and bold partnership with UNICEF, the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games aims to help them and hundreds and thousands of other children achieve that.
David Bull, UNICEF UK Executive Director, said:
“The Commonwealth Games taking place in Glasgow in 2014 provides us with a unique opportunity to harness the immense power of sport and culture for the best possible outcome – to improve the lives of children in Scotland and across the Commonwealth.
“We are delighted to be working in partnership with Glasgow 2014 and with the CGF, and look forward to making history together.“
Mike Hooper, Chief Executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation, said:
“We are very excited with this new partnership with UNICEF and Glasgow 2014. The Commonwealth Games movement embraces all 71 nations and territories across the Commonwealth and UNICEF works in a great many of these, helping children to have healthy, happy futures by ensuring they have access to education, healthcare and other practical assistance that will support their future development.”
Olympic boxing champion, Gold Medallist, Nicola Adam, said:
“I am absolutely delighted to support this partnership and be part of the event this morning. It was great to meet the children and hear about their aspirations and what they need to be the best they can be. This is a fantastic collaboration which will reach out to every child in Scotland and much further afield.
“I believe that every child has the right to reach their full potential and to be the best they can be and it was great to be able to tell the children my story and how I fulfilled my own potential. Hopefully there will be some inspirational messages they can take from that but I know I have definitely been inspired by the young people I have met here today.”
Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport Shona Robison said:
“UNICEF improves the lives of millions of children in Scotland and around the world, and this is a groundbreaking partnership that will reach far and wide. Physical activity and sport are a powerful force for good and the Games will help to inspire children to fulfill their potential and, through this partnership, give children around the Commonwealth a better future.”
Councillor Archie Graham, Executive Member for the Commonwealth Games at Glasgow City Council, said:
“The power to inspire young people in Glasgow, Scotland and throughout the Commonwealth will be one of the great legacies of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. Education and access to other opportunities can transform the lives of young people, giving them the chance to reach their potential, and I would like to wish this fantastic partnership every success.”
UNICEF reaches children in Commonwealth countries through its global network of country offices and National Committees working to promote the rights of every child to health care, water, nutrition, education and protection with a focus on the most vulnerable and disadvantaged. In Scotland, UNICEF UK has child rights education campaigns for children in schools, health settings and local government.
The partnership, with the CGF and Glasgow 2014 aims to raise funds for UNICEF’s work in Commonwealth countries around the world.
The official education programme around the 2014 Commonwealth Games was launched at Kelvingrove Art Gallery yesterday providing a unique opportunity for Scottish pupils to join the challenge of creating 6500 pieces of art to decorate the bedrooms of athletes and officials from across the Commonwealth.
