Look To The Stars News: UNICEF

Yuna Kim: Help UNICEF Help The Children Of Syria

Thu, 16 May 2013 12:15:00 +0000

UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and Olympic Gold Medallist and world champion figure skater Yuna Kim today made a heartfelt appeal for support for the children of conflict-torn Syria. 

Video: UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and champion figure skater Yuna Kim appeals for the children of Syria

 In a 30-second video message Kim, a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF since 2010, calls on viewers to, “Help UNICEF help the children of Syria.”  

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/10188-yuna-kim-help-unicef-help-the-children-of-syria

Tom Hiddleston Lives Below The Line

Tue, 14 May 2013 13:45:00 +0000

Earlier this month, actor Tom Hiddleston spent several days living £1 per day in support of Live Below The Line, which raises money for charities including UNICEF UK. Here are some of Tom’s thoughts about the challenge.

I took on the challenge of living on £1 a day out of compassion and a desire to understand the constraints and conditions of those less fortunate, who don’t have a choice. For me it was about voluntarily experiencing even the smallest fraction of the hunger, as well as the discipline required, to subsist on such a small amount. The world’s poorest families, all over the world, face such malnutrition that their growth and development is held back.

Here’s the thing. I haven’t really ever lived below the line – not below the poverty line. I still live in a nice house in London, with running water and a roof over my head, with gas and electricity. Clean drinking water comes rushing out of the kitchen tap. My surroundings are still comfortable. But the children who live below the poverty line have none of these things.

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/10175-tom-hiddleston-lives-below-the-line

Lenny Kravitz Needs Your Help To End Preventable Child Deaths

Tue, 07 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Lenny Kravitz – GRAMMY award-winning singer-songwriter, record producer and actor – is urging people to join UNICEF to bring about an end to preventable child deaths.

Video: Lenny Kravitz: Immunization - we can reach every last child

As many as 1.5 million children die every year from vaccine-preventable diseases.

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/10140-lenny-kravitz-needs-your-help-to-end-preventable-child-deaths

Robert De Niro Attends Midnight Moment Tribute To Nelson Mandela

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:30:00 +0000

Montblanc celebrated their partnership with “Midnight Moment: A Digital Gallery,” with a tribute to Nelson Mandela at a viewing reception with Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, Craig Hatkoff and Ndaba and Kweku Mandela, two of Nelson Mandela’s grandsons, at the R-Lounge in Times Square last week.

Robert de Niro attends the Montblanc-powered Midnight Moment reception.

The reception included unparalleled views of the “Midnight Moment” screens with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Times Square, where guests enjoyed a first hand viewing of “The Power of Words” showcase.

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/10097-robert-de-niro-attends-midnight-moment-tribute-to-nelson-mandela

Emmanuel Jal Says Education Leads To Peace

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0000

“Peace is justice, equality, freedom for all. Peace is when my belly is full.” Those are the words of rapper and peace activist Emmanuel Jal, who says he has been using his own childhood stories to teach social lessons.

Born in what is now South Sudan, at age seven Jal was taken to a military camp by the Sudan People’s Liberation Army and trained to be a child soldier. A few years later he was able to escape to Kenya, and decades later he is aiming to inspire a new generation towards peace activism. Throughout the US and Canada Jal visits schools telling his frightening stories through musical performances.

“There is the technical aspect of [teaching] and there’s the emotional aspect of it,” said Jal in a UNICEF interview. "The emotional aspect of things is by telling stories, it is by people learning from one another. Some of [the kids in the schools] want to see, ‘How can I make a world better?’ I tell them, ‘The biggest battle you have to fight now is educate yourself, because one day you’re going to be in the office, you could be the biggest entrepreneur, you’re going to work as a president, or whatever. Educate yourself so at that point you can help manage the conflicts that are happening around the world and contribute to being a global citizen’.

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/10072-emmanuel-jal-says-education-leads-to-peace

Ewan McGregor And David Beckham Support UNICEF Partnership With Commonwealth Games

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0000

UNICEF, the Commonwealth Games Federation and the Glasgow 2014 Commonweath Games have announced a partnership for children that seeks to touch the lives of children in Scotland and in Commonwealth countries across the world.

The partnership aims to raise funds for UNICEF work in Commonwealth countries across the world, and hopes to make next summer’s sporting event a big moment for children, aiming to inspire and enable children to be the best they can be.

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/10065-ewan-mcgregor-and-david-beckham-support-unicef-partnership-with-commonwealth-games

Katy Perry Visits Madagascar With UNICEF

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 20:10:00 +0000

Katy Perry has visited Madagascar to bring attention to the situation of children in the tropical island country, one of the poorest in the world and still recovering from a political crisis that began in 2009.

Katy Perry in Madagascar with UNICEF
Credit/Copyright: UNICEF/NYHQ2013-0166/Holt

“In less than one week here in Madagascar, I went from crowded city slums to the most remote villages and my eyes were opened wide by the incredible need for a healthy life – nutrition, sanitation, and protection against rape and abuse – which UNICEF is stepping in to help provide," Perry said. “I am grateful to UNICEF for giving me the opportunity to see first-hand how its programs make a real difference in children’s lives. Support for UNICEF is saving children, I am a witness to it.”

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/9978-katy-perry-visits-madagascar-with-unicef

Sting And Trudie Styler To Be Awarded We Are Family Foundation Humanitarian Award

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 16:35:00 +0000

The We Are Family Foundation (WAFF), a not-for-profit organization founded by legendary songwriter and producer, Nile Rodgers, will honor Humanitarian Award recipients Sting and Trudie Styler at its inaugural We Are Family HONORS event on Thursday, April 11, 2013, at Manhattan Center’s Grand Ballroom in New York City.

Artists and activists Sting and Trudie Styler will receive the Humanitarian Award, which honors those in the public eye who have made tremendous efforts and inroads to improving the human condition throughout the world. Previous recipients of the Humanitarian Award include musical legends Jackson Browne, Peter Gabriel, Sir Elton John, and television and radio host Larry King.

Sting and Trudie Styler are committed to helping make a difference for children around the world and protecting the environment. In 1989, the couple founded the Rainforest Fund, an organization devoted to protecting rainforests and their indigenous peoples. To date they have raised more than $30 million for the cause and have expanded to a network of interconnected organizations in more than 20 countries. Sting’s support for human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and Live Aid mirrors his art in its universal outreach. From raising funds and awareness for the UNICEF End Child Exploitation and United Against AIDS campaigns to visiting tsunami-affected Sri Lanka in solidarity with those affected by the devastating disaster, Trudie Styler has been a leading voice on behalf of some of the poorest and most vulnerable children on earth.

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/9954-sting-and-trudie-styler-to-be-awarded-we-are-family-foundation-humanitarian-award

Golf Champion Rory McIlroy To Revisit Haiti With UNICEF

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 14:30:00 +0000

World number one golfer and UNICEF Ambassador Rory McIlroy has announced that he will visit Haiti April 1–2 to support UNICEF’s lifesaving work in the country.

While in Haiti, the current US PGA golf champion will visit schools and communities that are benefiting from UNICEF-supported projects to improve child health and education through the provision of clean water and improved hygiene. McIlroy’s first visit to Haiti with UNICEF was in 2011.

“We’re thrilled that Rory has decided to support our work by taking time out from his busy schedule to assist our on-the-ground efforts to transform the lives of children in Haiti”, said Peter Power, Executive Director of UNICEF Ireland. "While progress has been made since his last visit, there is still a great deal of work to do to ensure that every child in Haiti has access to health services, education and clean water. 

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/9927-golf-champion-rory-mcilroy-to-revisit-haiti-with-unicef

Prince Charles Visits Refugee Camp In Jordan

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 13:00:00 +0000

In the week marking two years since the crisis in Syria began, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall visited a refugee camp in Jordan and met families who have fled the fighting.

The King Abdullah Park camp, just 15 kilometres from the Syrian border, is sheltering 921 people, 529 of whom are children under 18. They are receiving assistance from UNICEF, UNHCR, and the World Food Programme.

During their visit, their Royal Highnesses spent time with families in the camp, hearing for themselves about the profound distress that they have been through and the extreme challenges that many now face as they start a new attempt to survive and look after their children.

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/9862-prince-charles-visits-refugee-camp-in-jordan

UNICEF Tap Project Gets Celebrity Support

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 16:30:00 +0000

Facebook users can help provide children around the world with access to clean water and sanitation and urge their friends and family to do the same.

The seventh annual UNICEF Tap Project, a national fundraising and awareness campaign, is going digital this year, turning the social network into a water network that has the power to save lives.

Waterborne illnesses are the second leading cause of preventable childhood deaths in the world—killing nearly 4,000 children under the age of five every day. With $5, UNICEF can provide one child with access to safe, clean water for 200 days.

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/9829-unicef-tap-project-gets-celebrity-support

Emma Bunton Asks Mothers To Give Children The Best Start In Life

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 11:30:00 +0000

In the run up to Mother’s Day, UNICEF UK supporter Emma Bunton is asking UK mums to help give children around the world the best start in life.

The former Spice Girl has been sharing a magic moment from her children’s first 1,000 days of life.

The first 1,000 days of every child’s life are the most critical. It’s when they need to get the right nutrients to develop properly. Around the world a staggering one in four children don’t get the nourishing food they need to grow up healthy and reach their potential.

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/9823-emma-bunton-asks-mothers-to-give-children-the-best-start-in-life

Stars Support Montblanc's Signature For Good

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 15:30:00 +0000

Saturday, February 23, 2013 marked the official launch of Montblanc’s Signature For Good Collection with UNICEF, whereby Montblanc hopes to provide children access to quality education.

This collection reinforces Montblanc’s long-term commitment to children’s education and UNICEF.

To celebrate the launch of the collection, Montblanc hosted a pre-Oscar charity brunch with UNICEF at the Hotel Bel-Air. Academy award winner Hilary Swank made a special appearance to speak about the importance of the initiative and shed light on her recent visit to Ethiopia with Montblanc and UNICEF.

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/9820-stars-support-montblancs-signature-for-good

Hilary Swank Visits Ethiopia To Learn About Education Opportunities

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 11:30:00 +0000

Double Academy Award winning Hilary Swank has travelled to Ethiopia to learn more about the importance of education and the opportunities that it brings in some of the more disadvantaged communities in the world.

Hilary Swank Visits Ethiopia With UNICEF

Partnering with UNICEF and Montblanc, Hilary shares a commitment to give every child the opportunity to learn how to read and write, making a crucial contribution to breaking the poverty cycle, one step at a time.

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/9815-hilary-swank-visits-ethiopia-to-learn-about-education-opportunities

Shakira Thanks Fans For World Baby Shower Support

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 16:30:00 +0000

UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Shakira and FC Barcelona soccer star Gerard Piqué today thanked hundreds of thousands of fans for taking part in their interactive World Baby Shower and buying life-saving items for vulnerable children in support of UNICEF’s work around the world.

“We are thrilled by the generosity that has been shown by the visitors to our World Baby Shower site,” said Shakira, who in January gave birth to the couple’s first child, Milan. “Thanks to you, over 80,000 children will be protected from polio, almost 200,000 oral rehydration salts sachets will be distributed in times of need, the 3.8 tons of therapeutic food collected will save many children from severe acute malnutrition, among other life-saving tools that were purchased to protect babies and children.”

Polio is a highly contagious and potentially deadly disease that often leaves children crippled, while the oral rehydration salts are a simple cost-effective way to treat diarrhoea, the second leading cause of death in children aged under five.

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/9769-shakira-thanks-fans-for-world-baby-shower-support

Ewan McGregor Climbs A Beanstalk For Charity

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 15:30:00 +0000

Actor and UNICEF Ambassador Ewan McGregor was on the Ellen Show last Friday, talking not only about his latest movie, but also about UNICEF.

He specifically urged viewers to donate to help the children of Syria, who are not only dealing with the violence in their country, but are now facing a bitterly cold winter. The Ellen show offered to donate up to $10,000 dollars to UNICEF to help Syria’s children. The only caveat? Ewan McGregor had to climb a giant beanstalk.

Click here to watch the video, featuring Ellen, Ewan, and the beanstalk.

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/9714-ewan-mcgregor-climbs-a-beanstalk-for-charity

Ewan McGregor’s PSA To Support Syrian Child Refugees

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Last month, actor and UNICEF Ambassador Ewan McGregor's public service announcement was released – it was a plea to help UNICEF support Syrian children struggling through winter in refugee camps.

“After months of violence, living in fear for their lives, traumatized families were forced to flee for safety with nothing but the clothes they were wearing,” says McGregor. “And now these children face a new crisis. Heavy winter rain has flooded thousands of tents, destroying the only place they can call home. Children are facing freezing temperatures and fierce winds with no shelter or blankets. They are bitterly cold and frightened.”

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/9696-ewan-mcgregors-psa-to-support-syrian-child-refugees

Tom Hiddleston Visits West Africa With UNICEF

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 12:15:00 +0000

Actor Tom Hiddleston has just returned home from his trip with UNICEF UK to Guinea in West Africa, and has blogged about his trip.

“When I started writing this blog, I talked of life in Guinea as a “jigsaw puzzle, one where the pieces keep moving or changing shape, which in turn alters the picture. You might be looking at it from a different angle, or at a different time of day”. On my first night, Julien had suggested an idea of reality in Guinea as “open to interpretation”. In so many respects, that is true of all life. The view always changes with the viewer. That’s the law of relativity.

“Here’s what’s not open to interpretation. Every year in the world more than two million children die of hunger. It shouldn’t be like this. Children in Guinea start life at a severe disadvantage. Those that are malnourished may survive in the end. If they are caught in time. If their mothers respond to symptoms early enough; if they make it to the centre de santé, which is often miles away; if they respond to the therapeutic peanut paste, and special therapeutic feeding milk. If their parents are able to grow crops and feed them with enough nutritious foods so they can keep healthy. If they win the fight against malaria. If they live near a good school. If they can get work. If their parents can protect them from exploitation by the military. If they are lucky. Previously malnourished children can make it. It sounds paradoxical to say it, but they are the lucky ones.

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/9681-tom-hiddleston-visits-west-africa-with-unicef

Psy Supports Polio Campaign

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 11:30:00 +0000

South Korean pop star Psy has joined the growing roster of public figures and celebrities participating in Rotary International's “This Close” public awareness campaign for polio eradication.

Psy signs on as Rotary celebrity ambassador for polio eradication.

Psy, whose world renowned “Gangnam Style” video has become the first in the history of the internet to reach and surpass one billion YouTube views, will help Rotary achieve its goal of a polio-free world by raising his thumb and forefinger in the “this close” gesture in the ad with the tagline “we’re this close to ending polio.”

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/9651-psy-supports-polio-campaign

Michael Sheen Visits Chad With Soccer Aid

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 15:30:00 +0000

Actor and UNICEF supporter Michael Sheen has been visiting Chad to see how money raised during last year’s Soccer Aid match is making an impact on child hunger.

Michael Sheen sings and plays with children next to a rural health centre in Chad supported by UNICEF
Credit/Copyright: UNICEF/2013/Chad/Jordi Matas

The celebrity football game raised nearly £5m for UNICEF’s work for children, thanks to all donations from the UK public being matched pound for pound by the UK Government.

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/9625-michael-sheen-visits-chad-with-soccer-aid

Desmond Tutu Backs End Hunger Forever Campaign

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Over 100 organizations, including Save the Children, Action Against Hunger, Oxfam and UNICEF, have joined forces to end hunger forever.

The Enough Food For Everyone IF campaign launched last week in the UK.

“Hunger is not an incurable disease or an unavoidable tragedy,” says Desmond Tutu, a supporter of the campaign.

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/9622-desmond-tutu-backs-end-hunger-forever-campaign

Selena Gomez Goes Acoustic For UNICEF

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 11:30:00 +0000

Actress, multiplatinum recording artist, and fashion designer Selena Gomez hosted a concert benefiting the U.S. Fund for UNICEF on Saturday, January 19 at the Best Buy Theater in New York City.

The third annual Acoustic Charity Concert hosted by Gomez, a UNICEF Ambassador and avid supporter of the organization, raised more than $150,000 to support UNICEF’s programs that provide nutrition, clean water, medicine, education and more to children worldwide.

“I have worked with UNICEF since I was 17 years old, and I’ve seen first-hand the results of their critical support for children all over the world,” she said. “When I first started with the organization, 24,000 children died every day of causes we can prevent, and that number has now been reduced to 19,000. It’s amazing to see the progress and I’m thrilled to help bring awareness to UNICEF’s lifesaving work.”

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/9613-selena-gomez-goes-acoustic-for-unicef

Robbie Williams Raises Awareness Of Children In Syria

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Robbie Williams wants your help to raise awareness of the plight faced by children in Syria.

From Robbie’s website: "As a UNICEF UK ambassador and someone who holds the issue very close to his heart, today Robbie’s raising his voice along with the charity to help make some noise for the children of Syria.

“The worst winter in 10 years and exposure to unspeakable violence is leaving children cold and frightened. With heavy snows, plummeting temperatures and extremely limited food, fuel, clothing and shelter, children are freezing, traumatised and in need of our help.

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/9595-robbie-williams-raises-awareness-of-children-in-syria

Shakira Launches Virtual Baby Shower To Support UNICEF

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 19:10:00 +0000

Shakira, the world-famous singer/songwriter and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, has long been a passionate advocate for children and children’s issues.

Video: Shakira and Gerard Piqué's virtual baby shower

This month marks an especially joyous occasion for the 35-year-old Colombian singer and her partner FC Barcelona star Gerard Piqué: the imminent arrival of their own first child.

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/9565-shakira-launches-virtual-baby-shower-to-support-unicef

Mia Farrow Blogs From Lebanon

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 19:30:00 +0000

On 14 January, 2013, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Mia Farrow visited some of the over 200,000 Syrian refugees who have been registered or are awaiting registration in Lebanon.

Mia Farrow visits Syrian child refugees in a UNICEF-supported child-friendly space in the northern Wadi Khaled region of Lebanon, near the Syrian border.
Credit/Copyright: UNICEF/NYHQ2013-0010/Marta Ramoneda Lebanon, 2013

“It’s hard to write this blog while my mind and emotions are swimming like this,” Mia blogged. "It’s been a long day visiting refugees. We were so close to the border, the Syrian flag was clearly visible. Families walk over the snowy hills at night. Some said the journey took 12 hours, others say three days. People help them to thread their way through the land mines.

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/9556-mia-farrow-blogs-from-lebanon