On the day of the UEFA Europa League Final 2014, The Western
Union Company (NYSE:WU), a leader in global payment services and
Global Partner of the UEFA Europa League, together with the Western
Union Foundation, announces the contribution to education that its
PASS initiative has been making after a second season of the
programme that has supported UNICEF secondary education programs in
Jamaica, Nigeria and Turkey.
Western Union’s PASS initiative has been turning every
successful pass made during the 2012/13, current and next season of
the UEFA Europa League into support for access to quality education
for young people around the world.
SL Benfica will take on Sevilla FC at the Juventus Stadium in
Turin, which will take the number of passes completed during
Western Union’s sponsorship term to date to more than 350,000
having reached 170,000 at the end of the 2012/13 season.
The Western Union PASS initiative is not only meeting its
objectives in terms of on-the-ground delivery; it is also driving
awareness of the global education issue highlighted by the
company’s broader Education for Better campaign and attracting some
high profile support from within the game. In February, former
Brazilian football legend Roberto Carlos met with students
supported by UNICEF and the PASS initiative in Istanbul, Turkey.
Later that same month, former Eintracht Frankfurt star and Nigerian
international, Jay-Jay Okocha, also lent his support. PASS lead
ambassador, Patrick Vieira, will travel to Senegal with Western
Union and UNICEF immediately after this season’s UEFA Europa League
Final to see how the funds donated to UNICEF through the PASS
initiative will impact children’s lives and help them complete
their education.
“Where I come from, many children face challenges that prevent
them from completing school,” 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 manager of the Elite Development Squad 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. What’s so impactful about this initiative
is that what players are doing on the pitch is being translated off
it, by Western Union, into funding that will benefit students,
teachers and schools across the world. Particularly in places that
need it most, like Senegal, so I’m hugely looking forward to
travelling back there later this week” said Vieira.
The PASS initiative will run for the three years of Western
Union’s sponsorship of the UEFA Europa League through to the 2015
final. Through the program, Western Union is committed to
supporting education in select countries around the world.
“Moving money for better is at the heart of what we do as a
company, and education is one of the main reasons our customers
send money,” explained Diane Scott, Western Union Chief Product and
Marketing Officer and Western Union Foundation Board Member.
“Through PASS, we wanted to harness the power of football to
build awareness of the global education challenge the world faces
as well as deliver on-the-ground support that will make a
difference to young people and their communities. That is why it’s
been very rewarding to see the education funding being delivered in
these countries and why this end of season report is so
positive.”
“We are grateful for Western Union’s continued support of
UNICEF. This commitment to education will help UNICEF invest in
training teachers, and provide vocational and life skills guidance
to improve young people’s chances of completing school and
successfully transitioning into the workplace as adults,” said
Gérard Bocquenet, UNICEF Director of Private Fundraising and
Partnerships. “We are proud to work with Western Union to help more
children access a quality education and provide them with a chance
for a better future.”
During the first year, Western Union’s PASS collaboration with
UNICEF focused on education programs in Nigeria, Jamaica and
Turkey, and education programs will be supported starting later
this year in Brazil, Senegal, Morocco and China. Western Union’s
funding is supporting activities including teacher training and
curriculum development; financial literacy, vocational and life
skills training for adolescents; school improvements; eliminating
barriers to school access, and more. Funding from the PASS
initiative will help enable UNICEF to implement these
interventions, aiming to provide access to one million days of
education for children.
-ends-
About Western Union
The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) is a leader in global
payment services. Together with its Vigo, Orlandi Valuta, Pago
Facil and Western Union Business Solutions branded payment
services, Western Union provides consumers and businesses with
fast, reliable and convenient ways to send and receive money around
the world, to send payments and to purchase money orders. As of
March 31, 2014, the Western Union, Vigo and Orlandi Valuta branded
services were offered through a combined network of over 500,000
agent locations in 200 countries and territories and over 100,000
ATMs. In 2013, The Western Union Company completed 242 million
consumer-to-consumer transactions worldwide, moving $82 billion of
principal between consumers, and 459 million business payments. For
more information, visit www.westernunion.com.
About the Western Union Foundation
The Western Union Foundation is dedicated to creating a better
world, where the ability to realize dreams through economic
opportunity is not just a privilege for the few but a right for
all. Through its signature program, Education for Better, and with
the support of The Western Union Company, its employees, Agents,
and business partners, The Western Union Foundation works to
realize this vision by supporting education and disaster relief
efforts as pathways toward a better future. Our combined social
ventures efforts make life better for individuals, families and
communities around the world. Since its inception, The Western
Union Foundation has paid more than $96.0 million in grants and
other giving. These funds have been pledged to more than 2,720
nongovernmental organizations in more than 133 countries and
territories. The Western Union Foundation, is a separate §501(c)(3)
recognized United States charity. To learn more, visit
www.westernunionfoundation.org
About Western Union’s UEFA Europa League Sponsorship
In July 2012, Western Union announced a three year deal as the
new Global Partner and the Presenting Sponsor of the UEFA Europa
League. This sponsorship of the world’s largest club competition,
comprising 193 professional football teams from 53 countries,
provides Western Union with a unique opportunity for worldwide
brand visibility, with the competition broadcast in more than 200
countries and territories, and enjoying a global live match unique
reach of 634 million per season. This will allow Western Union,
with its extensive network of approximately 515,000 Agent locations
in over 200 countries and territories, to engage its customers and
Agents in the excitement of the UEFA Europa League. The agreement
also provides video, digital and social media content
opportunities, and use of the UEFA Europa League brand assets. This
partnership will run to the UEFA Europa League Final in 2015.
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
Western UnionSimon Kleine, +44 (0)7725 206 640Vice President,
Corporate CommunicationsSimon.Kleine@westernunion.comorClaire
Treacy, +44 (0)7808 243 380Senior Manager, Corporate
CommunicationsClaire.Treacy@westernunion.com
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