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| Words of Inspiration Appeal | |
| Parker Words of Inspiration Appeal in support of UNICEF launches world-wide childhood literacy project | |
| UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund is to join forces with the Parker Pen Company in a unique global campaign which will help children in developing countries learn to read and write. The 'Parker Words of Inspiration Appeal', which has UNICEF goodwill ambassador Lord Attenborough as its spokesman, will be launched on 18 March 1997. The objective of the appeal is to raise £250,000. This will be devoted to a 'Joyful Learning' programme for thousands of children, in countries such as India, Mali and Rwanda, who would otherwise remain illiterate throughout their lives. Through Lord Attenborough, the 'Parker Words of Inspiration Appeal' will call upon leaders and celebrities throughout the world to contribute hand-written entries to an anthology of personal inspiration which will eventually be auctioned, together with a number of Parker Limited Edition Snake Pens, in New York. All proceeds will be donated to UNICEF. Each participant will be invited to inscribe one page of the anthology using a Parker pen, either composing a personal message of inspiration for the children of today and tomorrow, or recalling some written words of inspiration from their own youth that have profoundly affected their lives. The growing anthology and a collection of Parker Limited Edition Snake Pens will tour the world for eight months, providing the opportunity for a select number of international celebrities engaged in politics, the arts, business, sport and entertainment to make their individual contributions. | |
| Lord Attenborough, who has been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 1987, comments "Many of us take our ability to read and write for granted but a large proportion of children in the developing world are denied this basic right. It is staggering to think that a quarter of the world's population are illiterate and more than one hundred million children of primary school age are not in school." |  |
| The Parker Pen Company, a division
of the Gillette Stationery Products Group, has joined forces with UNICEF
in this global endeavour to raise educational standards as part of the
Parker Pen Company's century-long commitment to the quality of the written
word and to mark the launch of its Limited Edition Snake Pen. Hand-crafted
in sterling silver or gold and precious emerald gems, with a snake design
embodying a prestigious writing instrument, the Parker Limited Edition
Parker Snake Pen has inspired the Parker Pen Company to invest in this
very special world-wide project. The appeal reflects the core values
of the company - the creation of quality writing instruments and a mission
to improve standards of child education. "Working with UNICEF affords us the opportunity to raise the profile of children's educational needs world-wide and to allow more people to benefit and enjoy the inspiration of the written word" comments Parker president, Peter Bentley. Robert Smith, executive director UK committee for UNICEF said, "Education is perhaps the most important right for any child after the right to life itself. The Parker partnership with UNICEF will enable countless children to acquire a command of language and communication that will transform and enrich their lives". |
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In its capacity as official courier company for the appeal, Sprint Intemational Express has the task of couriering the anthology and Snake Pen from one celebrity to the next, from one side of the world to the other. "When we first learnt about this unique concept we presented a dedicated global Sprint team who would take responsibility for the logistics of managing the movements of this precious parcel." comments Mark Leyshon, managing director of Sprint International Express. |
| The Parker Words of Inspiration Anthology will make its first public appearance in the Stationer's Hall, London, on Tuesday 18th March when Lord Attenborough will fill its opening page with his own personal words of inspiration. The anthology will tour the UK and then head for Europe. | |
