UNICEF and the EBU
join forces for children in need

Geneva, 26 November 2007 - The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and UNICEF announce a unique partnership for the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2007.

UNICEF will be a co-production partner and provide editorial to highlight the topic of “children’s rights and freedom” throughout the show. The aim is to create awareness for this important theme amongst the large 30 million viewing audience that will watch the Song Contest across Europe. UNICEF’s involvement will also draw attention to fundraising for children in need, as the EBU and the participating broadcasters will donate all their income from the show’s televoting to UNICEF.

“The Junior Eurovision Song Contest is perceived as a high standard family entertainment programme across the participating countries. The event has a very positive, non-competitive spirit: for one week, children from all over Europe join to perform their songs and have fun together. It is an ideal setting for children from a wide range of backgrounds to meet and interact socially. This is one of several aspects creating an ideal fit between the Junior Eurovision Song Contest and UNICEF.” says Philip O’Brien, Director of UNICEF international. 

Hosted by the Dutch national broadcaster AVRO, the 5th Junior Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Rotterdam on December 8th 2007. 

The Junior Eurovision Song Contest is a truly pan-European television programme transmitted live via the Eurovision satellite network, in prime time on free-to-air television. It is watched by approximately 30 million viewers throughout Europe and beyond.

“The EBU welcomes UNICEF as a partner for the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2007," says Bjørn Erichsen, Director of Eurovision TV. "We are extremely happy to be working with UNICEF. In addition to building a link between the artists in our show and all the children in Europe, we will focus on the outstanding work that UNICEF is doing.” adds Erichsen. 

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Eurovision TV is a brand of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU)
The Geneva-based EBU is the largest professional association of national broadcasters in the world. It serves 75 active members in 56 countries in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East together with 43 associate members around the world. On behalf of its members, the EBU negotiates broadcasting rights for major sports events; owns and operates the Eurovision and Euroradio networks; organizes programme exchanges; acts as a hub for co-productions and acquisitions; and provides a full range of other operational, commercial, technical, legal, and strategic services.

UNICEF

The United Nations Children's Fund (or UNICEF) was created by the United Nations General Assembly on December 11, 1946 to provide emergency food and healthcare to children in countries that had been devastated by World War II. In 1953, UNICEF became a permanent part of the UN System. 

UNICEF is on the ground in 150 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence.  The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports 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 funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

T.E.A.M. Television Event And Media Marketing AG
The agreement was negotiated by T.E.A.M. Marketing AG, the exclusive marketing agency for the EBU. T.E.A.M. is a full-service sales and marketing company that specializes in exploiting commercial rights for televised content internationally. The company employs over 110 professionals at its offices in Lucerne, Switzerland, and is widely known as the exclusive marketing partner of UEFA (the governing body of European football) for its flagship competition, the UEFA Champions League, since its inception in 1992.

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