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Committee unveils Olympic Aid-Atlanta

Saturday, 20 July 1996: The Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG) today unveiled Olympic Aid-Atlanta, a joint humanitarian initiative with UNICEF and the United States Committee for UNICEF to bring hope to children in war.

Describing it as a legacy for the Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta, ACOG chief executive officer Billy Payne (right) said the aim was "to honour the spirit of peace and cooperation, the defining principles of the Olympic Games." " If we go home in 14 days saying we just put on a great sports meet then we will have failed."

The campaign will try to generate up to $21 million worldwide to enable UNICEF to provide immunization, education, psychosocial counselling and recreational programmes to 18 million children in 14 war-torn countries.

It has so far raised $8 million, which is being spent in such countries as Afghanistan, where warring factions agreed to lay down their weapons for a mass immunization campaign from 16 to 20 June 1996 that protected nearly three million children from killer diseases.

ACOG co-chairman Andrew Young said Olympic Aid-Atlanta was the first time an Olympic Games organizing committee has been associated with an international humanitarian fund-raising initiative. "We are calling upon the world community to extend the goodwill created by the Olympic Games to help promote peace and protect children from the scourge of war".

The initiative is championed by five-time Olympic gold medalist Norwegian speed skater Johann Olav Koss. Olympic athletes such as Roland Baar, Roger Black, Bonnie Blair, Novella Calligaris, Ann Cody, Dominique Moceanu, Diane Modahl, Edwin Moses, Hakeem Olajuwon, Nico Rienks, Summer Sanders, Tessa Sanderson, Arnd Schmitt, Sheryl Swoopes, Alberto Tomba, David Wilkie and Ron Zwerver have also pledged support.

According to Gwendolyn Calvert Baker, president and chief executive officer of the US Committee for UNICEF, millions of people in the US and all over the world are supporting the effort through national fundraising campaigns, direct mail appeals, special events and other initiatives.

The European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO) has contribued $5 million for immunization.

Olympic Aid-Atlanta invites you to contribute through the US Committee for UNICEF or through UNICEF.

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