On Thursday 21st March 2019 we signed a collaboration agreement with Scholas Occurrentes – a non-denominational organisation which brings values to youth, founded by Pope Francis in 2013. Scholas now works in 187 countries.
Our founder and CEO, Leslee, and our Director of Programmes, Giulia D’Amico, were invited to the Vatican for a meeting with the Pope and to have the collaboration agreement signed.
“This was a most thrilling day and is a remarkable milestone for Think Equal in ensuring its reach and scale, in driving forward its mission to give every child in the world his/her inalienable right to positive outcomes in life. I am so grateful to the Scholas team and the enlightened and refulgent Pope Francis for joining hands with us in our joint mission to bring love where there was hate, equality where there was discrimination, and peace where there was war.”
Leslee Udwin – Think Equal
Later on, Scholas Occurrentes, Fondazione Milan and Think Equal partnered to empower youth to impact children in ensuring quality education, values and global citizenship through social and emotional education and sport in children and young people around the world.
The tri-partite agreement was signed on June 28 at Scholas’ headquarters in the Vatican during an event attended by Paolo Scaroni, Chairman of AC Milan, Leslee Udwin, Founder and CEO of Think Equal, and José María del Corral and Enrique Palmeyro, President and Director of Scholas Occurrentes. In the afternoon, they presented Pope Francis with a personalised AC Milan shirt with his name and the number 29 which he autographed. The signed t-shirt will be auctioned.
The three organisations are developing a joint global programme that will be implemented in primary schools where Scholas and Milan Foundation are already working. In this way, children – from the age of 3 – and young people from all over the world will experience a unique and innovative educational model based on values, empathy, creativity, gender equality and emotional intelligence.
“I am excited and optimistic for this broad and strong alliance, focused on children and young people around the world, to teach them to love and not to hate, to break the spiral of discrimination, selfishness and indifference. Our joint programmes will experientially teach our children from the very early ages and right through their school journey to value one another, and be assured of positive outcomes in life. I’m really looking forward to joining our forces and energies to achieve this shared mission”.
Leslee Udwin – Think Equal
Do you want to discover the initiative that was developed between all these entities later on? Click below:
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