MSC Cruises News
Chief Security Officer
MSC Cruises Has Just Posted the Following:
As the market leading cruise company in Brazil, MSC Cruises has chosen to demonstrate its commitment to the local community through an important alliance with UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund.
Brazil is not only the biggest and most populous country in Latin America, it is also one of the 11 most unequal countries in the world, with alarming levels of poverty in the favelas of the major metropolitan centres. Education is key to transforming this.
According to the SIAB* Report 2009 published by UNICEF, there are 680,000 children and adolescents not attending school. Research by IPEA** reveals that almost 18% of adolescents between the ages of 15 and 17 do not go to school, and 48% of children fail to complete a secondary education. What‟s more, children living in poverty are 21 times more likely than their peers to be illiterate.
Through the "MSC for UNICEF‟ initiative, MSC Cruises is supporting a UNICEF programme to bring a brighter future to children in 126 vulnerable communities of Rio de Janeiro and São Paolo, by helping provide them with equality of access to a quality education.
MSC Cruises is committed to raising awareness among guests on its cruise ships, for example through the informational brochure left in every cabin. Guests are also invited to "get on board for children" and make a difference by offering a small donation. This can be as little as €1 (or $1.50), which can be added to the bill at the end of the cruise for extra convenience.
The project is part of UNICEF's "Education for all" programme, dedicated to helping achieve Universal Education, one of the eight United Nations Millennium Development Goals for 2015, endorsed by 192 member states and 23 international organisations.
The alliance was officially launched in Barcelona on 12 July at the christening of MSC Cruises' new flagship MSC Splendida. Representing UNICEF at the ceremony were Mr Jussi Ojutkangas, Corporate Alliance Manager, Mrs Elsbeth Müller, Executive Director, Swiss Committee for UNICEF, Mrs Ares García Concha, vice-president UNICEF Cataluña, Spanish Committee for UNICEF.
The singer Amii Stewart, Goodwill ambassador for UNICEF, was also present at the ceremony and treated guests to a live "a capella‟ performance.
Full details of the partnership, the programme and how to help Brazil's most vulnerable children build a better life can be found on a new dedicated website www.msc-unicef.com. The tone of the website is upbeat and informative, and content includes a video featuring UNICEF Ambassador and singer Daniela Mercury along with senior figures from MSC Cruises talking about the project.
An innovative advertising campaign has been realized to support worldwide the launch of this partnership.
MSC Cruises is proud to be involved in this initiative, a demonstration of its commitment to help build a better world for present and future generations.
* Situação da infância e da adolescência Brasileira 209 (State of childhood and adolescence in Brazil)
** Instituto de Pesquisa Econômica Aplicada (National Institute of Applied Economic Research)
Click here to view the article.
As the market leading cruise company in Brazil, MSC Cruises has chosen to demonstrate its commitment to the local community through an important alliance with UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund.
Brazil is not only the biggest and most populous country in Latin America, it is also one of the 11 most unequal countries in the world, with alarming levels of poverty in the favelas of the major metropolitan centres. Education is key to transforming this.
According to the SIAB* Report 2009 published by UNICEF, there are 680,000 children and adolescents not attending school. Research by IPEA** reveals that almost 18% of adolescents between the ages of 15 and 17 do not go to school, and 48% of children fail to complete a secondary education. What‟s more, children living in poverty are 21 times more likely than their peers to be illiterate.
Through the "MSC for UNICEF‟ initiative, MSC Cruises is supporting a UNICEF programme to bring a brighter future to children in 126 vulnerable communities of Rio de Janeiro and São Paolo, by helping provide them with equality of access to a quality education.
MSC Cruises is committed to raising awareness among guests on its cruise ships, for example through the informational brochure left in every cabin. Guests are also invited to "get on board for children" and make a difference by offering a small donation. This can be as little as €1 (or $1.50), which can be added to the bill at the end of the cruise for extra convenience.
The project is part of UNICEF's "Education for all" programme, dedicated to helping achieve Universal Education, one of the eight United Nations Millennium Development Goals for 2015, endorsed by 192 member states and 23 international organisations.
The alliance was officially launched in Barcelona on 12 July at the christening of MSC Cruises' new flagship MSC Splendida. Representing UNICEF at the ceremony were Mr Jussi Ojutkangas, Corporate Alliance Manager, Mrs Elsbeth Müller, Executive Director, Swiss Committee for UNICEF, Mrs Ares García Concha, vice-president UNICEF Cataluña, Spanish Committee for UNICEF.
The singer Amii Stewart, Goodwill ambassador for UNICEF, was also present at the ceremony and treated guests to a live "a capella‟ performance.
Full details of the partnership, the programme and how to help Brazil's most vulnerable children build a better life can be found on a new dedicated website www.msc-unicef.com. The tone of the website is upbeat and informative, and content includes a video featuring UNICEF Ambassador and singer Daniela Mercury along with senior figures from MSC Cruises talking about the project.
An innovative advertising campaign has been realized to support worldwide the launch of this partnership.
MSC Cruises is proud to be involved in this initiative, a demonstration of its commitment to help build a better world for present and future generations.
* Situação da infância e da adolescência Brasileira 209 (State of childhood and adolescence in Brazil)
** Instituto de Pesquisa Econômica Aplicada (National Institute of Applied Economic Research)
Click here to view the article.
