DOHA: Educate A Child (EAC), a global programme of Education Above All, has been awarded with ‘Prix de la Fondation’ for efforts to promote the importance of education.
The prize was received by Dr Mary Joy Pigozzi, Director, EAC, at the closing ceremony of an international summit organised by Crans Montana Forum in Geneva.
Established in 1989, the prize has been awarded to notable figures that work towards advancing values of democracy and the achievement of a better world.
Past winners include, Lech Walesa, Nobel prize winner and former president of Poland, José Manuel Barroso, former president of European Commission, the late Yasser Arafat, former chairman of Palestine Liberation Organisation and president of Palestinian National Authority, the late Rafik Hariri, former prime minister of Lebanon, Irina Bokova, Director-General, Unesco, and the late Benazir Bhutto, former prime minister of Pakistan.
Dr Pigozzi, said, “It is a great honour to receive the prize on behalf of EAC. It is encouraging that advocacy efforts to promote the value of education are recognised by the international community gathered in Geneva.
“There are 59 million out-of-school children around the world at the primary level in addition to those who cannot access secondary education and other levels of education, we have a gobal disaster waiting to happen... “In September 2015, UN member states adopted the UN Sustainability Development Goals, including the goal of ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for all. We must keep our promise to the millions of children who continue to remain out of school. We work with partners around the world, and invest in the methods which work to reach as many children as possible”.
EAC has commitments to provide access to quality education for six million children out of school this year and aims to reach 10 million by next year.
The Peninsula
