Western Union Company Partners UEFA To Launches Educational Initiative , 3 African Countries To Benefit

Leading global payment services and new Global Partner of the UEFA Europa League, The Western Union Company, and the Western Union Foundation, has launched an educational program that will turn every successful pass in this UEFA season’s competition into funding - to support the education of  young people around the world.

The educational initiative tagged PASS, aims to reach one million school days over the next three seasons and builds on the work the company has already done to support education globally.

The initiative will provide teacher training and student scholarships through nonprofit, nongovernmental organisations (NGOs), with an initial focus on eleven countries. Three African nations - Morocco, Nigeria, and Senegal stand to benefit from this program. Other countries include Brazil, China, Colombia, Jamaica, Mexico, Romania, Russia and Turkey.

The initiative will start at the beginning of the UEFA Europa League Season 2012/13 will be fronted by former international football star Patrick Vieira, former AS Cannes, AC Milan, Arsenal FC, Juventus, FC Internazionale Milano, Manchester City FC and French international player, who was born in Senegal before moving to France at the age of eight and is currently football development executive at Manchester City FC.

“Where I come from, opportunities for a quality education are rare,” explained Vieira the former AS Cannes, AC Milan, Arsenal FC, Juventus, FC Internazionale Milano, Manchester City FC and French international player, who was born in Senegal before moving to France at the age of eight and is currently football development executive at Manchester City FC.

“Football was my ticket to success, but for the vast majority of young people education is the key that allows them to become whatever they want to be. That’s why I’m supporting this campaign. It will benefit students, teachers and schools across the world, particularly in places that need it most, like Senegal where I was born,” said Vieira.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, 73 percent of students are excluded from secondary education, largely due to cost- the largest in all continents.

“According to UNESCO1, 71 million bright, hardworking students globally are not enrolled in secondary or vocational education. It’s a tremendous loss of economic and human potential, since each extra year of school can increase an individual’s potential economic opportunity. Through PASS, we intend to harness the power of football to build awareness of this challenge as well as deliver on-the-ground support that will make a difference to young people and their communities,”  said Hikmet Ersek, Western Union President and CEO.

Through the UEFA Europa League’s global audience, football fans from Africa, the Americas, Asia as well as Europe, will be given the chance to add to the fund during the season through a range of online and social media mechanics.

To support PASS, Western Union will also be carrying out a comprehensive marketing and communications programme that will seek to involve its customers and UEFA Europa League fans from around the world.

The Western Union’s PASS initiative will also allow players give something back to their hometown communities beyond simply the excitement and entertainment they create on the pitch, David Taylor, CEO of UEFA Events S.A. added