Olympiacos FC and UNICEF join forces to immunize children!
Piraeus, 21 October 2013 – Olympiacos FC and UNICEF today launched their partnership to immunize children in countries that urgently need support. The aim of the partnership is to raise funds and awareness, both in Greece and globally, for UNICEF’s ‘100% Campaign’ to immunize children not currently reached by vaccination programmes.
One and a half million children around the world are still dying every year from diseases that could have been prevented by vaccinations. That is one child every 20 seconds. Nearly 20 per cent of all children do not receive the basic vaccinations, because poverty, conflict, poor infrastructure or weak governance makes it difficult to reach them. The 100% Campaign aims to make sure that all unreached children receive these life-saving vaccines.
Knowing that UNICEF reaches more children with lifesaving immunization than any other organization, Olympiacos FC will help raise awareness and funds for the 100% Campaign, featuring UNICEF’s logo on the players’ jerseys and with the target to raise EUR 2 million over the next two years. This could result in saving the lives of 50,000 children.
“Since the establishment of our club in 1925, Olympiacos as a football team has represented an idea, a movement, a set of values that brings people together, as if they were members of the same family. On these values we want to base our new partnership with UNICEF”, said Mr. Vangelis Marinakis, President of Olympiacos FC. “We have always been close to those in need, and with UNICEF now on our side we can achieve what is most important to us, that is to put the well-being of children around the world first!”
“UNICEF is proud to partner with Olympiacos FC to amplify UNICEF’s voice for children, let millions of sport lovers know that they can help save vulnerable children’s lives, and raise much needed funds for our efforts to reach all children with basic immunization”, said Leila Pakkala, UNICEF Director of Private Fundraising and Partnerships.
“The alliance between Olympiacos and UNICEF is a milestone in the humanitarian action of UNICEF Greece” said Mr. Lambros Kanellopoulos President of the Hellenic National Committee for UNICEF. “It will give us the chance to move faster by saving children lives, to promote child rights all over Greece and abroad and contribute to the protection of children worldwide. It gives hope to thousands of children.”
About UNICEF: UNICEF works in more than 190 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. For more information about UNICEF and its work visit www.unicef.org and www.unicef.gr
About Olympiacos FC: Olympiacos is the biggest title-winning club in Greece, having won many distinctions both in the Hellenic Championship and in the Hellenic Cup competitions. However, Olympiacos F.C. is far from being an ordinary club. It is a family; and all together, the administration, the technical staff, the athletes and the fans constitute the building blocks of history in the making of the most successful and powerful sports organization in the country throughout the years. The club has won 40 league championships in total and our club’s captains have celebrated winning the Hellenic Cup 26 times! Moreover, during the last fifteen years, OLYMPIACOS has participated 13 times in the Champions League, the greatest football club competition in the world! Olympiacos FC and President Mr. Marinakis have a very strong charity tradition and in the past years have supported, numerous times, charity foundations and everyday people in need , both in Greece and abroad.(www.olympiacos.org)
For more information, please contact:
Olympiacos FC: Mr. Kostas Karapapas, Communications Director, +30 210 4143000 / kkarapapas@olympiacos.org
Hellenic National Committee for UNICEF: Mr. Ilias Liberis, Executive Director & Head of Communication, +30 210 7255555 / unicefgr@hol.gr
