BARCELONA, April 1, 2007 – Members of the Laureus World Sports Academy and IWC Schaffhausen CEO Georges Kern have attended a private reception in Barcelona at which His Majesty The King of Spain signed the first copy of a unique photography book – ‘Let The Children Play’ which will raise funds for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation.
Edwin Moses, Chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy, was joined by fellow members, including Nawal El Moutawakel, Boris Becker, Sebastian Coe, Miguel Indurain, Franz Klammer and Nadia Comaneci.
His Majesty The King of Spain, who is the Patron of the 2007 Laureus Sports Awards, will be attending the eighth annual Laureus Awards Ceremony to be held at the Palau Sant Jordi on the evening of Monday, April 2.
“Let the Children Play”, is a unique book project initiated by IWC Schaffhausen and produced in collaboration with the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation to outline the Foundation’s fine work.
IWC Schaffhausen CEO Georges Kern said: “We were very honoured on behalf of IWC and Laureus to welcome His Majesty tonight. I want to express our profound appreciation to His Majesty for the tremendous support he has given Laureus and to our book ‘Let the Children Play.’”
The Laureus Sport for Good Foundation supports over 48 projects on every continent working with underprivileged children and socially disadvantaged groups, supported by 44 legendary sports figures, who form the elected members of the Laureus World Sports Academy.
The high quality coffee table book has powerful iconic photographic images and on-the-ground reports from ten Laureus Sport for Good Foundation projects. The book is aimed at generating greater awareness of the mission of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, which uses sport as a vehicle for social change in deprived communities.
The book makes a journey through the world’s streets, into homes, communities and schools. We visit the world’s poorest communities, wake up inside the homes of children for whom sports projects afford them a chance to dream, to be recognised, to grow. The central themes running through the work are those of hope, re-birth and re-generation.
Swiss watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen joined forces with Laureus in 2005 and Georges Kern explained the company’s motivation in accepting the commitment: “This illustrated book was initiated and realised by IWC out of a sense of deep commitment to increase awareness on the part of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation in highlighting the cause of these underprivileged children.
“The privileged people on this planet – and we are among them – must do something to help those who are socially, physically or economically disadvantaged.
“We as a company bear a social responsibility. In the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, which helps underprivileged children and adolescents to help themselves, IWC has found the ideal partner for an active form of social commitment.”
“Let the Children Play” includes the work of famous reportage photographers like James Nachtwey, Juan Medina, Ivo Saglietti, Abbas, Fernando Moleres and others, who have recorded the realities of life in touching images.
Internationally renowned journalists and authors such as Roger Cohen, Eduardo Galeano, Tahar Ben Jelloun, Predrag Matvejevic and others have lent their keen powers of observation to tell the stories of children facing poverty, discrimination, war, alienation and physical handicaps. They capture the lives of children in groundbreaking projects supported by the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation from Sarajevo to Sri Lanka.
“Let the Children Play”, published by IWC in English, can be ordered over the internet at www.iwc.com or www.laureus.com. It is non-profit making and part of the proceeds will go towards the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation.
IWC Schaffhausen has played an important role by setting up the Swiss branch of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, which will be officially launched in summer 2007.
|
