4 April 2017 – Montblanc and UNICEF today announced the continuation of their long-standing partnership to help some of the world’s most vulnerable children access education.

The partnership, formed in 2004 through a shared vision of empowering children through education, has to-date raised more than US$10 million for UNICEF’s work for children. In this next stage of the partnership, Montblanc aims to support UNICEF to improve the learning for over 5 million children.

“Writing is at the core of the Maison’s history. Montblanc is committed to advocating for a world where every child is given the chance to learn how to read and write,” said Montblanc CEO Nicolas Baretzki.

“Through our long-term partnership with UNICEF we have raised an incredible amount which has helped children access the quality education they need to thrive. While there is still much to accomplish on the journey to ending illiteracy, every life changed, and every individual story is testament to the difference we can make by working together,” continued Baretzki.

“Education, particularly girls’ education, holds the key to a better life for millions of children and adolescents worldwide: a life with less poverty, better health and an increased ability to take their future into their own hands,” said Jo Bourne, Associate Director of Education at UNICEF. “Yet 263 million children and youth are out of school – children denied a fair chance to learn and reach their full potential because of reasons such as poverty, location, gender, disability or conflict. UNICEF is grateful to Montblanc for its ongoing support in ensuring more children have access to a quality education.”

The partnership between Montblanc demonstrates how the private sector sees investing in early childhood care and education as one of the most cost-effective and efficient ways to start children on a lifelong path of learning and to ensure they all have a fair chance to reach their potential.

Montblanc, a champion of the written word, embarked on the partnership with UNICEF in 2004 to help promote literacy across the world. The partnership has so far helped UNICEF’s education work with governments and partners in countries across Asia and Africa and helped UNICEF provide training to education professionals, reducing repetition and dropout rates. In addition, the collaboration has helped girls realise their right to education, and has also helped prepare communities for the onset of emergencies including natural disasters. The renewed partnership invests in children’s programs in China, Djibouti, and Brazil.

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Notes for editors:

For further information please contact: Unicef UK Press Office on +44 (0)20 7375 6030 or [email protected]

About Montblanc

Guided by the pioneering spirit since 1906, Montblanc revolutionized the culture of writing with breakthrough innovations. Today, the Maison continues to push boundaries and evolve the expression of fine craftsmanship across each of its product categories: the pinnacle of luxury writing instruments, timepieces, leather goods, accessories, fragrances and eyewear. With every innovation, Montblanc offers new functionalities and groundbreaking designs imbued with the Maison’s heritage of sophistication and crafted to the highest standards through the skills of its artisans in each of its manufactures whether Hamburg, Germany for its writing instruments, the Swiss Jura in Le Locle and Villeret for its timepieces or Florence, Italy for its leather goods. Reflecting its ongoing mission to create fine lifetime companions born from the most pioneering ideas, the iconic Montblanc Emblem has become the ultimate seal of performance, innovation, quality and expression of style. With its origins deeply rooted in the culture of handwriting, Montblanc continues to assert its cultural commitment around the world with the creation of wide-ranging initiatives to promote arts and culture in many forms, while honouring the modern day patrons who support the advancement of the arts.

About Unicef

Unicef is the world’s leading organisation for children, promoting the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.

Unicef UK raises funds to protect children in danger, transform their lives and build a safer world for tomorrow’s children. As a registered charity we raise funds through donations from individuals, organisations and companies and we lobby and campaign to keep children safe. Unicef UK also runs programmes in schools, hospitals and with local authorities in the UK. For more information please visit unicef.org.uk