The #EmergencyLessons campaign enters its second phase today with the launch of a new video to show what school means for children affected by crises – the protection and stability found in the routine of attending classes, the friends made, the hope for the future, the teachers who support children through trauma.
This is the case of Malak and Raparine, displaced by the war in Iraq and Syria – whose video is launched today. These children have been able to continue with their schooling thanks to the EU and UNICEF’s support, and show how school helps them to cope in these difficult times. The videos encourage viewers to get involved in the campaign and upload their own favourite school photos (May) and tag their best friends (June) on social media using #EmergencyLessons.
The campaign will run until the end of the year, releasing a new video every month with a new campaign ask. A number of celebrities have already engaged including Tom Hiddleston (British Actor), Donncha O’Callaghan (Irish Rugby Player), Bostjan Nachbar (Slovenian Basketball Player), Samantha Cristofferetti (Italian Astronaut)andMark Ruffalo and Robert Downey Junior (American Actors).
“I’m pleased that the #EmergencyLessons campaign is proving to be a great success in raising awareness of the importance of education in emergencies. In the first month, the campaign has reached more than 50 million people on Twitter alone”, said Christos Stylianides, EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management. In 2016 the EU is providing €52 million aimed specifically at educational projects for children in emergency situations, to support over 2,300,000 children in 42 countries around the world
For Malak and Raparine, school equals friendship. The two best friends met in a school in Erbil, Iraq, built especially for children who were forced to flee their homes because of conflict.
