Theirworld’s US launch of Act For Early Years celebrates children’s ‘joy and wonder’
A dance performance was the highlight of an event in New York to celebrate the campaign that calls for urgent investment in early years care and education.
Theirworld’s Act For Early Years campaign was celebrated at an event in New York that brought together guests from the worlds of the arts, international development, education and showbusiness.
The evening featured a memorable dance performance inspired by children’s feelings of “joys and wonder”.
Act For Early Years calls on governments to urgently prioritise spending on the early years – because more than half of the world’s young children are missing out on the early childhood care and education they need.
The campaign has already been backed by Sesame Workshop and tennis star Roger Federer, who earlier this week co-hosted a high-level gathering with Theirworld Chair Sarah Brown during the United Nations General Assembly.
Rashaun Mitchell said the performance was inspired by children’s movements
Last night’s United States launch of Act For Early Years was held at the Sean Kelly Gallery in Manhattan.
Theirworld President Justin van Fleet told how the global early years challenges are also relevant in the US – with less than 50% of three and four-year-olds going to preschool.
He added: “We want to unleash the potential of young people, that creative spirit when a young person walks into school and has an opportunity to learn.”
Theirworld Chair Sarah Brown said: “The Act For Early Years campaign is such a golden opportunity. There are people listening at the UN this week to how we invest in those 0-5 years.”
Gordon Brown, UN Special Envoy for Global Education, made an impassioned plea for early years investment
Gordon Brown, the UN Special Envoy for Global Education, told the event about the challenges of the global education crisis and the vision of ending that. He added: “The vision of every child having an education is what inspires Theirworld. Bringing idealism and action together is what Theirworld is all about.”
The dance was performed by the celebrated Rashaun Mitchell + Silas Riener Dance Company.
Rashaun said: “This is our first time being asked specifically to make a dance inspired by kids. But we’ve been making work for 14 years together and a lot of times we feel like the process of making dance and experimentation in general is kind of really childlike.
“We want to deliver the sort of feeling of joy and wonder and possibility that is within all children and hopefully that will be a strong enough message for supporting this wonderful organisation.”