Artists Damien Hirst And Takashi Murakami Create Original Works For UNICEF

Renowned artists including Takashi Murakami, Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons, Richard Serra and Shirin Neshat have donated works through the FC Barcelona Foundation to Reach Out To Asia (ROTA) and UNICEF. The ‘1 in 11’ campaign extends educational opportunities to marginalised children in Bangladesh, Indonesia and Nepal, with the goal of expanding to more countries. Hirst, Koons and Murakami have created specially commissioned works of art featuring Lionel Messi, FC Barcelona player, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, and President of the Lionel Messi Foundation. Murakami designed the campaign logo. Through the auction, ‘1 in 11’ are hoping to raise millions towards setting up three initial projects in Indonesia, Nepal and Bangladesh. These projects will help some of most vulnerable children access a quality education.
 
The funds raised by ‘1 in 11’ will focus initially on pilot education programmes in the three countries.  In Indonesia, the campaign will support schools in six districts to include children with disabilities.  In Nepal, UNICEF has worked with the government to identify 10 priority districts that will offer sports programming for children up to secondary school, particularly aimed at breaking down the societal barriers for children with disabilities and including them in school.  In Bangladesh, the campaign’s focus will be on reaching out-of-school children.

Takashi Murakami said: “I’m delighted to be able to support the 1 in 11 campaign through donating my artwork to the auction and designing the global campaign logo. I know the money raised by the campaign is going to help some of the most marginalised and vulnerable children across the world.
 “1 in 11 will inspire the world that integrating sport and play into education can be the catalyst to unlock a child’s potential”. Through the ‘Keep Ups’ challenge, Messi and tennis champ Serena Williams are inviting their fans and followers to join, donate to the campaign and share their own ‘Keep Ups’ via social media and at www.1in11.org.  
 
UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake, speaking at the campaign launch in New York, said: “Every child has the right to learn, to play, and to grow – and the ‘1 in 11’ campaign will help more children do so. We are delighted to work together with FC Barcelona and ROTA to get more children into the classroom and improve the quality of learning they receive there.”

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