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European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations

#EUEducationEmpowers

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The #EUEducationEmpowers campaign targeted EU citizens with the aim to raise awareness of the EU's work in providing access to education for children caught up in humanitarian crises across the world. The campaign launched on 18 December 2017 and ran until the end of February 2018.

The campaign consisted of short film projections in cinemas, advertisements, and featured heavily on social media. Its central message was that education offers children in emergencies safety, the opportunity to develop life skills, and provides a sense of normality.

The campaign targeted six EU countries: Austria, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, and Ireland. The main campaign video (below), which highlights crises such as the Syrian conflict, was shown in cinemas throughout the six target countries from 21 December 2017.

At the launch of the campaign, EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides reaffirmed the EU's commitment to education in emergencies, "We cannot tolerate lost generations, and must not leave a single child behind. Education saves lives in emergencies and it also provides girls and boys with real skills for the future. The EU is a world leader in providing education for children in crises situations. For every child, life should be a story they wish to write."

Between 2012 and 2017, the EU allocated over €200 million globally to education in emergencies; over 4.7 million children in 52 countries were reached with this funding. The funding has enabled children to access formal and non-formal education, provided them with learning materials, and helped train teachers and caregivers. In 2018, the EU will dedicate a record 8% of its humanitarian aid to education in emergencies.

The #EUEducationEmpowers campaign aims to raise awareness of the EU's work in providing access to education for children caught up in humanitarian crises across the world. © European Union/ECHO/Mallika Panorat