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BARCELONA, 25 February 2016 – FC Barcelona and UNICEF renewed their commitment to the most vulnerable children today, signing a new 4-year agreement. The renewal comes as the two organizations mark the 10-year anniversary of a partnership that already has helped improve the lives of over 1 million children in seven countries.

Under the terms of the new agreement, the football club will increase its annual contribution to UNICEF from €1.5 million to €2 million. The funds will support programmes that give marginalized children in Brazil, China, Ghana and South Africa the opportunity to take part in physical education, sport and play.

"With this new agreement, FC Barcelona seeks to take a step forward in this partnership. Now, the ties between Barça and UNICEF are closer than ever. We are united in the fight for children's rights and the promotion of education through sport. Barça is the club for the children of the world and UNICEF is the best partner for this journey,” said Josep Maria Bartomeu, president of FC Barcelona.

Over the last 10 years, the UNICEF-FC Barcelona partnership helped expand access to education, sport and play for children who might otherwise be excluded. The partnership also supported programmes to increase awareness on HIV/AIDS amongst vulnerable communities in Angola, Malawi and Swaziland.

“FC Barcelona's partnership with UNICEF has already helped more than 1 million children around the world – and our new agreement will give even more children the chance to learn and grow through sport and play,” said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake.  “All of us at UNICEF are grateful for FC Barcelona's dedication to the cause of children – and I am personally delighted that our beloved Barça will continue to be a champion in that cause.”

Research shows that sport and play can support children's healthy physical and cognitive development and also are powerful tools for promoting positive behavior and values. 

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The seven countries benefiting from the UNICEF-FC Barcelona partnership are Angola, Brazil, China, Ghana, Malawi, South Africa and Swaziland.

ABOUT FC BARCELONA FOUNDATION
The FC Barcelona Foundation was created in 1994 as the vehicle for FC Barcelona's corporate social responsibility. At present, its projects are mainly based on the following premises: the use of sports as a core instrument; the fostering of education and the positive values of sport.

About UNICEF-FCB partnership
The partnership between FC Barcelona and UNICEF is committed to the vision that every child receives a quality education and enjoys the opportunity of participating in sports and play.

In 2006, the FC Barcelona Foundation and FC Barcelona signed a global partnership with UNICEF. UNICEF and the FC Barcelona Foundation have been collaborating to improve the lives of millions of children through the promotion of sport and education.

About UNICEF
UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do.  Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.

For more information about UNICEF and its work, visit http://www.unicef.org.

For more information, please contact:
Jeremy Hartley, UNICEF Private Fundraising and Partnerships, Tel: +41 79 559 71 72, jhartley@unicef.org
Belén de Vicente, Spanish Committee for UNICEF, Tel: +34 609 160 051, bvicente@unicef.es
Laia Ruich, Spanish Committee for UNICEF in Barcelona, Tel: +34 647 54 99 74 lruich@unicef.es
Marc Parramon, FC Barcelona, Tel: +34 696 863 845, marc.parramon@fcbarcelona.cat,
Chemi Terés, FC Barcelona, Tel: +34 619 50 84 47, chemi.teres@fcbarcelona.cat,