UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Jackie Chan meets young trafficking survivors in Myanmar
YANGON, 8 July, 2012 – UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and martial arts icon Jackie Chan concluded a three-day visit to Myanmar today. He met hundreds of children, many of whom have survived trafficking, are growing up without parents and are forced to live and work on the streets or are affected by HIV. “The children I have met in Myanmar have inspired me,” said Chan. “The boys and girls who had been trafficked, their optimism and determination to build better lives for themselves has deeply impressed me.” While in Mandalay, Jackie met with 12-year-old “Zaw” who was trafficked to Malaysia at 12 to work as a beggar. He also met “Mimi” who was sold by traffickers twice when she was 10, and again aged 17. “The stories these children shared with me showed me once again that we need to do a better job protecting children – especially against the horrific crimes of trafficking,” said Chan. Jackie met nine-year-old Mg Mg who showed Jackie his bunk bed in the boy’s dorm of a monastery school. Mg Mg shares the room with 20 other boys who are living in the school because their families cannot care for them or can’t afford their schooling, but still want them to get an education.
Chan was received in Myanmar with an overwhelming welcome. At every location, he was greeted by exited children and hundreds of fans. “Jackie Chan’s visit was a highlight not only for the children he met, but also for the thousands of fans who welcomed him to their country,” said Ramesh Shrestha, UNICEF Representative in Myanmar. “His visit has helped focus attention on children at risk of being trafficked in Myanmar and around the world.” Chan began his visit in Mandalay in the centre of Myanmar on 5 July and concluded it in Yangoon, Myanmar’s capital, on 7 July. To view more photos of Jackie Chan in Myanmar, please click. He has been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2004 and this is his seventh field trip with UNICEF. About UNICEF For more information about UNICEF and its work visit: www.unicef.org Follow us on Twitter and Facebook For more information, please contact:
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