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Marcel
Desailly is UNICEF first Goodwill Ambassador for Ghana
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
August 21, 2007
http://www.ghana.gov.gh/ghana/marcel_desailly_unicef_first_goodwill_ambassador_ghana.jsp
The United Nations Children's
Fund (UNCEF), Ghana, yesterday designated Marcel Desailly, an accomplished
footballer, as the first Goodwill Ambassador to advocate the welfare
of Ghanaian children. Desailly, a Ghanaian who was adopted at the
age of four, moved to France where he played for the French national
football team.
Dr Yasmin Ali Haque,
UNICEF Representative in Ghana, announced at a press conference
in Accra yesterday that Desailly was a role model for children as
an achiever and leader who had excelled in his own profession as
a football player. "He has won many prestigious cups and awards
including 1998 World Cup for France and Euro 2000 Cup," she
said.
Dr Haque said Desailly
was committed to supporting children to reach their potentials and
had demonstrated this by working with organisations that worked
with and for children.
She said Desailly, as
an Ambassador, would participate in UNICEF-supported activities
and campaigns to raise awareness on key and critical actions concerning
children in Ghana.
"During
the up-coming African
Cup of Nations, CAN 2008, Marcel will collaborate with UNICEF
and partners to promote universal primary education."
Dr Haque noted that UNICEF
goodwill ambassadors did not take on the mission for financial gain,
but they contributed their time and used their own extensive networks
and associations to disseminate messages to the public.
"UNICEF goodwill
ambassadors are making tremendous contributions by raising awareness
on key issues concerning children, like motivating children, their
families, communities and decision makers to take actions for the
best interest of children."
Dr Haque noted that Ghana
had made significant progress in terms of school enrolment with
the introduction of the capitation grant and urged Government to
ensure that children in school received quality education.
Desailly, whose Ghanaian
name is Odenke Abbey, noted that children could also learn a lot
through sports and affirmed his commitment to the job. "UNICEF
considers sports as an important part of education. "I
can tell from my own experience that playing football helped me
gain self-discipline, confidence, negotiation skills, team work
and leadership." he noted.
Desailly encouraged children
to express their opinion and do their best to achieve their dreams.
He also urged parents to listen and offer their best support to
their children even if they were poor.
"I decided to commit
at least some part of my time for causes I find to be worthy,"
he said. He noted that people identified themselves with him hence
it was prudent to use that fame to make an impact on children and
help them in shaping their goals.
Hajia Alima Mahama, Minister
for Women and Children's Affairs, expressed the hope that with Desailly's
involvement in advocating universal primary education for all children,
Ghana stood the chance of attaining the Millennium Development Goal
(MDG) on education by 2015.
Mr Osei Bonsu Amoah,
Deputy Minister for Education, Science and Sports, announced that
next December Ghana would host a major conference on Sports and
Peace organised by the United Nations.
He said the UN was more
involved with using sports to achieve the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs) adding that the CAN 2008 would offer Desailly and UNICEF
the platform to educate not only Ghanaians, but also the entire
world about the need for education, especially for children.
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