UNICEF Ireland

UNICEF Ireland is the Irish branch of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). It was established in 1962 and focuses exclusively on providing assistance to and for the world’s poorest children. UNICEF Ireland has a driving passion that builds a better world for children in which every child’s right to dignity, security and self-fulfilment is achieved.

Every day, across the world, funds raised in Ireland are helping forge a better future for children whose lives have been torn apart by poverty, war and natural disasters.

UNICEF Ireland provides funding for UNICEF’s work worldwide as well as directly funding a growing number of country specific programmes in the areas of health, water and sanitation, education, child protection and emergency relief.

UNICEF Ireland advises the Irish Government and other bodies on policies and legislation which support the above programmes and commitments under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

UNICEF Ireland ambassadors

UNICEF Ireland Ambassadors have the ability to focus the world’s attention on the needs of children, helping them to reach a wider audience, allowing them to further highlight the work they undertake to improve the lives of the most vulnerable children around the world.

All of their Ambassadors dedicate time and energy to UNICEF Ireland in a variety of ways; visiting field projects throughout the world, speaking to the media about what they have seen, or lobbying and raising money on their behalf.

Pierce Brosnan

Pierce Brosnan was appointed a UNICEF Ireland Ambassador in 2001. He is committed to helping UNICEF Ireland highlight the plight of children affected by war. Irish Dreamtime, the film Production Company that he co-owns donated the US$25,000 MovieGuide Award prize money to UNICEF Ireland to help the children of Iraq. Pierce recently recorded a special announcement to mark the launch of UNICEF's "Unite for Children. Unite against AIDS" Campaign with Liam Neeson.

Gabriel Byrne

Irish Actor Gabriel Byrne was appointed a UNICEF Ireland Ambassador in November 2004. He is particularly interested in helping UNICEF Ireland highlight the plight of children whose lives have been devastated by HIV/AIDS. Gabriel recently held an Exhibition of his own Photographs in aid of UNICEF in New York and was the very special guest at UNICEF Ireland's Mother's Day Lunch in the Conrad Dublin.

tephen Rea & Cathy Kelly

Irish actor Stephen Rea and author Cathy Kelly are Ambassadors for UNICEF Ireland's Global Parent Programme. Stephen and Cathy visited Mozambique on a fact finding mission to learn about UNICEF's work and in particular find out how HIV/AIDS is impacting on children's lives and futures in Mozambique.

UNICEF Ireland Events

UNICEF Ireland Corporate Lunch

Last year's Corporate Lunch took place on Friday, 9th November 2007 at the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin.

MC on the day was RTE's Miriam O'Callaghan and special guest was UNICEF High Profile Supporter Charley Boorman, who had recently completed another biking adventure. This time, Charley travelled the "Long Way Down" from John O’Groats to Cape Town, with UNICEF Ambassador Ewan McGregor.

UNICEF Ireland/Conrad Dublin Mother's Day Lunch

For eleven years now, UNICEF Ireland has held a Mother's Day Lunch fundraiser.

Gabriel Byrne, Roger Moore, Jeremy Irons, Felicity Kendal and Vanessa Redgrave are just some of the surprise celebrity guests who have turned up at the Lunch over the past few years.

Guest of Honour in 2008 was singer Annie Lennox who is a tireless campaigner on the issue of HIV/AIDS and its impact on women and children’s lives. The Lunch raised €54,000 for UNICEF's Safe Motherhood programme

Film Screenings

Given that Sarah Jessica Parker is an existing UNICEF ambassador, UNICEF Ireland wanted to do something to mark the release of the movie. So on June 5th, 400 ladies, and a handful of brave men, attended a private UNICEF screening of Sex & The City.

Just over €30,000 for UNICEF’s Child Survival Programmes was raised from the event.

Other Events

More than 30 teams of Golfing Enthusiasts turned out to support the UNICEF Ireland Golf Tournament 2008 at the Castle Golf Club on May 15th 2008.

Over €50,000 was raised from the event, with the funds going directly to the Schools For Africa Campaign – a programme run jointly with the Nelson Mandela Foundation and UNICEF.

External links

* http://www.unicef.ie
* [http://www.unicef.ie/unicef-publications.htm UNICEF Ireland Annual Report]
* http://unicefireland.wordpress.com
* http://www.kidsrights.ie/
* http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=11202222802