Scholas Occurrentes, the education initiative supported by Pope Francis, signed two collaboration agreements today. The agreement was signed with the United Nations Children’s Fund and CONMEBOL, the South American Football Confederation.
The agreements were signed this morning at the Holy Father’s residence in Casa Santa Marta.
Scholas Occurrentes is the first worldwide initiative with the aim of promoting integration and peace between peoples through education, connecting more than 400,000 schools and educational networks, both public and private and of all religions.
The five-year collaboration with UNICEF will be based on the broadening of access for young children, especially the most disadvantaged, to technology, sport and the arts – platforms for education, participation and the building of peace, enabling the young to learn about themselves, others and the world that surrounds them.
Scholas and UNICEF will initially cooperate in a series of joint activities worldwide, with the special aim of bringing an end to violence and «promoting the connectedness of all young people, making the most of the unique capacities of each person to favor the participation of adolescents and to broaden their access to the tools and information they need to be connected, to communicate and to collaborate.»
The organizations will also develop new opportunities for collaboration in relation to major events centered on world youth, such as the Summit on the Social Impact of Youth, to be held during the Summer Games of the Special Olympics in 2015 in Los Angeles.
In 2016, the association will begin to explore initiatives at regional, national and community levels, including campaigns to raise awareness and joint promotional activities linked to issues affecting millions of disadvantaged adolescents.
