Cannon appointed UNICEF global champion for education

A Galway East TD has been appointed as a UNICEF global champion for education as part of a new initiative to ensure that every young person aged between 10 and 24 will be in school, training or age-appropriate decent employment by 2030.

Minister for the Diaspora and International Development, Ciaran Cannon, is one of seven Generation Unlimited Champions who will advocate worldwide for the development of the ‘Gen U’ programme.

Minister Cannon said: “I’m honoured to be chosen as one of UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited Champions and to be asked to make a strong case for continued investment in education and training worldwide, particularly for our young people who find themselves furthest behind when it comes to educational opportunity.

“I was delighted to deliver the keynote address at UNICEF’s Tech for Humanity launch at Facebook HQ in Dublin last week where I outlined Ireland’s continued commitment to global education.

“This year alone our government has committed €1m in funding to UNICEF to help fund key new initiatives, such as Gen U, that will help young people all over the globe meet the challenges of a changing world. In 2018, Ireland contributed over €20m to UNICEF, which remains one of Ireland’s largest and most important development partners and since 1993, Ireland has provided over €250m in funding to UNICEF.

“Gen U is a new global, public-private partnership that aims to ensure that every young person aged between 10 and 24 will be in school, training or age-appropriate decent employment by 2030, with a special focus on empowering young women and girls.

Minister Cannon added: “Throughout my political career I have consistently highlighted the transformative power of education. We in Ireland have experienced an incredible transformation through education over the last fifty years. In accepting UNICEF’s invitation to act as a champion for Gen U, I will be focusing my efforts on ensuring that all of the world’s young people can experience that transformation for themselves.”