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Video: The Ad Council Partners With UNICEF to Promote and Distribute Myanmar Cyclone PSAs Filmed by A-List Celebrities

Saturday, May 17, 2008 General News
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NEW YORK, May 16 The U.S. Fund for UNICEF and TheAdvertising Council today announced a partnership to distribute and promote aseries of national public service announcements (PSAs) filmed by A-Listcelebrities, including Ben Stiller, Nicole Ritchie, Joel Madden, DavidDuchovny, Tea Leoni, and Paul Rudd, and designed to help survivors of theMyanmar cyclone. The Ad Council is distributing the new television, radio,print and online PSAs to 33,000 media outlets nationwide today.
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The biggest natural disaster since the tsunami, Cyclone Nargis has alreadyclaimed the lives of more than 100,000. But it is the millions of children inthe country who need medicine, food, clean water, and shelter who are the mostin danger. The celebrity PSAs, which were shot in Los Angeles by theaward-winning GRAINEY Pictures (GPix), will appeal on the behalf of affectedchildren by asking concerned Americans throughout the country for donations.
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"In any disaster, it is children who suffer most. Vulnerable to hunger,disease and trauma, children require urgent life-saving assistance to surviveand with millions of lives hanging in the balance, every second counts," saidCaryl Stern, President and CEO, U.S. Fund for UNICEF. "We are so thankful tothe Ad Council and the celebrities who are helping us get the word out,encouraging Americans around the country to do whatever it takes to help."

Of the affected populations across Yangon and Irrawaddy Divisions,approximately 30% to 40% are estimated to be children. UNICEF's priority is toassist the affected populations in Yangon and Irrawaddy Delta areas,especially the most vulnerable, children and women.

UNICEF is distributing life-saving supplies including safe drinking water,food, essential drugs and health kits, as well as other emergency suppliessuch as blankets, tarpaulins and cooking sets. Lack of access to clean waterand poor sanitation, inadequate shelter and poor nutrition pose particularthreats to children, as well as diarrhoeal diseases, measles and malaria. In apost-natural disaster environment, measles is rapidly contagious and canresult in high mortality rates.

Additionally, UNICEF's role in emergencies is to protect children andwomen from violence, exploitation, abuse and neglect. In one area alone, 500children were identified as either separated (still with a relative) orunaccompanied (totally alone).

With its partners, UNICEF is working on preventing, and facilitating theidentification of separated and unaccompanied children, as well asreunification. UNICEF is setting up child-friendly spaces in the camps housingdisplaced populations. These child-friendly spaces can also serve as makeshiftschools while UNICEF and its partners work on the massive task of restoringthe school system.

"Millions of Americans have seen news reports on the devastating tragedy,and are unaware of how they can help," said Peggy Conlon, President and CEO ofThe Advertising Council. "We are proud to offer our services to help extendthe reach of these messages and provide relief for those who have beenaffected, particularly the children."

The Ad Council is distributing the PSAs to media outlets nationwidedigitally. Services have been donated by FirstSpin, AdSend and wheresmymedia.Per the Ad Council's model, all of the PSAs will run in advertising time andspace that is entirely donated by the media.

In the wake of a disaster that has left at least 1 million people homelessand some 24-million affected, UNICEF is gearing up for a massive relief andsupply effort. Prepositioned supplies have already been distributed to addresslack of access to clean water and poor sanitation, inadequate shelter and poornutrition. The new appeal will pave the way for more supplies to reach thebattered country once the supply pipeline opens up.

UNICEF has been present in Myanmar since 1950, with nine zonal offices
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