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IMPACT AND UNICEF RENEW PARTNERSHIP FOR THE RIGHT TO HEALTH AND TO PLAY
MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact and UNICEF announced the renewal of their successful partnership for a second consecutive year, Wednesday, during a presentation offered by Impact head coach Marc Dos Santos in front of 300 students, at the École Bilingue Notre-Dame de Sion, in St-Laurent.
In a joint effort to promote child aid, the Impact and UNICEF will collaborate together in 2010 on the right to play and the fight against malaria. Through the program The Game Is On!, the Impact will offer a series of presentations designed for elementary level students to raise awareness about the reality of children in developing countries. Emphasis will also be given on how sports and play can universally promote health, cooperation and the positive values of respect, excellence and initiative taking.
This year, Marc Dos Santos, as well as Impact goalkeeper coach Youssef Dahha, will act as spokespersons in the francophone schools, while former player and team builder Lloyd Barker will be visiting anglophone schools.
“Being aware of the global reach of our sport and of the individual and collective aptitudes it allows to develop, our association with UNICEF is a wonderful opportunity to match soccer and children’s wellbeing,” mentioned Marc Dos Santos. “I’m happy to get involved this year in the program The Game is On! and to be able to share with local youth the reality of millions of children around the world, for whom practicing a sport, let alone playing, is not a given right. If we can awaken them to this state of affairs and encourage them to act in their immediate environment to change this situation, then we will be able to say that we have met this program’s objectives.”
“UNICEF is thrilled about the renewal of this continuously growing collaboration with the Montreal Impact,” declared Marcèle Lamarche, executive director of UNICEF Quebec. “Being a universally practiced sport, soccer is a valuable tool that not only contributes to raise local awareness among the youth on child related issues, but also to encourage them to carry out tangible deeds in favour of children’s rights. Sports play a central role in various UNICEF programs around the world and we are thrilled about the club’s generous commitment this year in advocacy for the rights to health and to play.”
The schools that will be hosting the program The Game is On! will be encouraged to show their solidarity for children living in developing countries by organizing fundraising activities in favour of a UNICEF campaign of their choice.
IMPACT SOCCER SCHOOLS WILL DONATE $1 PER REGISTRATION
In 2010, the Impact will extend its partnership with UNICEF through the Montreal Impact Soccer Schools by contributing to the Spread the Net campaign, in the fight against malaria. For each registration received during the year, the Schools will donate $1 to UNICEF for the purchase and distribution of insecticide-treated bed nets, which is the most effective measure to prevent this illness that kills 3,000 children every day in Africa alone.
A reminder that Impact assistant coach and director of the Montreal Impact Soccer Schools Mauro Biello, is the official spokesperson of the Spread the Net challenge, which invites young students across Quebec to raise funds in favour of this cause until February 28. The Impact will reward students from the school that will have gathered the most donations with a soccer clinic presented by Mauro Biello and Youssef Dahha.
ABOUT UNICEF
World leader among child aid organizations, UNICEF is dedicated to protect and improve the lives of girls and boys in 156 countries and territories. UNICEF is entirely dependent on voluntary donations from individuals, companies, foundations, schools, associations and governments. For further information on UNICEF, visit unicef.ca.
ABOUT THE IMPACT
As a non-profit organization, the Montreal Impact’s mission is to promote and develop soccer in Quebec, but also to actively engage in community life through partnerships with various organizations. Since its creation in 1993, the club has concentrated its efforts in supporting and encouraging programs related to child aid.
PHOTOS PÉPÉ
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For further information, please contact:
Claudia Gervais
Montreal Impact
514-328-3668, extension 234
claudia.gervais@impactmontreal.com
Nancy Radford
UNICEF Quebec
514 288-51 34, extension 8425
nradford@unicef.ca
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