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Beijing, 11 May 2012– In an event at the stadium of the legendary football team, Barcelona FC, the FC Barcelona Foundation and UNICEF today powered up their promise to improve the lives of millions of children through sport and education.  

FCB contributes a total of Euro 1.5 million per year to support UNICEF's work with the aim to reach millions of children in 16,000 schools in four countries: Brazil, China, Ghana and South Africa. Since 2006, FCB has helped to advance the global message on the importance of children's issues, delivering exceptional visibility for the UNICEF brand on their jersey. And this second phase of partnership will benefit children from China for the first time.

75 schoolchildren, Ramon Pont, Vice President of the FC Barcelona Foundation, Anthony Lake, the Executive Director of UNICEF, and Marc Bartra, FC Barcelona player met to discuss the importance of sport in children's lives.    

©UNICEF/China/2010/Jerry Liu An FC Barcelona football player demonstrates his shooting technique to children affected by the Sichuan earthquake prior to a training session at the Beijing Worker's Stadium.

"FC Barcelona is highly committed to work with UNICEF to advance the global message of the importance of children's issues and to promote education and sport,” said Ramon Pont, Vice President of the FC Barcelona Foundation.

UNICEF recognizes the critical role of sport and physical play in children's lives. Participation by young people in sport and play contributes to their physical development and can teach basic values and life skills, such as discipline, leadership, teamwork, fairness and respect for others. Sport and play can also help fight discrimination and the exclusion of marginalized groups, including children with disabilities.

 “All UNICEF team is delighted with its partnership with FC Barcelona. Through this partnership UNICEF and FC Barcelona are committed to provide millions of children the opportunity to receive an education and experience the happiness of sports, and learn positive values through physical education, sport and play,” said Anthony Lake, UNICEF Executive Director, in his first visit to FCB headquarters.

 Marc Bartra, together with Ramon Pont and Anthony Lake, responded to questions from school children from Barcelona. The children asked questions about UNICEF, children in other countries, football and about why is FCB partnering with UNICEF.

Over 5,000 teachers and coaches in these four countries are planned to be trained, and sport and sport values will be integrated in school programmes. Schools will also be provided with sports supplies and improved infrastructure for physical education, sport and play programmes.

About UNICEF in China:
UNICEF first assisted China between 1947 and 1951, providing emergency services, food and nutrition, health and hygiene training during and after the CivilWar. In 1979 UNICEFofficially commenced its cooperation with the Government of China to support 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 on the ground in over 190 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence.

Visit our official website: www.unicef.cn
Follow us: Sina Weibo http://weibo.com/unicefchina Tecent Weibo http://t.qq.com/unicef

For further information, please contact: Dale Rutstein, UNICEF China, +8610 65323131 ext. 1301, drutstein@unicef.org or Liu Li, UNICEF China, +8610 65323131 ext. 1303, liliu@unicef.org