The Western Union Company (NYSE:WU) (http://www.westernunion.com), a leader
in global payment services and new Global Partner of the UEFA Europa League,
and the Western Union Foundation, today announced they will turn every
successful pass in this season’s competition into funding to support one day’s
education for young people around the world.
Called PASS, the initiative will be fronted by former
international football star Patrick Vieira and start during the Group Stage of
the UEFA Europa League Season 2012/13, which kicks off on September 20 across
Europe. The initiative aims to reach one million school days over the next
three seasons and builds on the work the company has already done to support
education globally.
“Moving money for better is at the heart of what we
do, and education is one of the main reasons our customers send money” said
Hikmet Ersek, Western Union President and CEO. “According to UNESCO (1), 71
million bright, hardworking students globally are not enrolled in secondary or
vocational education. It’s a tremendous loss of economic and human potential,
since each extra year of school can increase an individual’s potential economic
opportunity. Through PASS, we intend to harness the power of football to build
awareness of this challenge as well as deliver on-the-ground support that will
make a difference to young people and their communities.”
The initiative will provide teacher training and
student scholarships through nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs),
with an initial focus on eleven countries – Brazil, China, Colombia, Jamaica,
Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Romania, Russia and Turkey.
“Where I come from, opportunities for a quality
education are rare,” explained Vieira the former AS Cannes, AC Milan, Arsenal
FC, Juventus, FC Internazionale Milano, Manchester City FC and French
international player, who was born in Senegal before moving to France at the age
of eight and is currently football development executive at Manchester City FC.
“Football was my ticket to success, but for the vast
majority of young people education is the key that allows them to become
whatever they want to be. That’s why I’m supporting this campaign. It will
benefit students, teachers and schools across the world, particularly in places
that need it most, like Senegal where I was born,” said Vieira.
Through the UEFA Europa League’s global audience,
football fans from Africa, the Americas, Asia as well as Europe, will also be
given the chance to add to the fund during the season through a range of online
and social media mechanics.
David Taylor, CEO of UEFA Events S.A., commented: “As
well as being broadcast to fans in over 200 countries, European football is the
aspiration for many players around the world and last season players
representing 113 different countries were involved in the UEFA Europa League.
Through Western Union’s PASS initiative, some of those players will be able to
give something back to their hometown communities beyond simply the excitement
and entertainment they create on the pitch.”
The PASS initiative will convert each successful
pass completed during each match played from the Group Stage to the final of
the 2012/2013 UEFA Europa League into funds to cover one full day of school for
one student, to be allocated and distributed based on the educational needs and
costs of each identified market. This initiative will run for the three years
of Western Union’s sponsorship of the UEFA Europa League until 2015.
To support PASS, Western Union will also be carrying
out a comprehensive marketing and communications programme that will seek to
involve its customers and UEFA Europa League fans from around the world.
Source:
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
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