Press Release

Yue-Sai Kan Says "Yes" for Children

Yue-Sai Kan Joins Growing List of Personalities in Massive Global Pledging Campaign As the First Chinese-American 'Say Yes' Ambassador for Children

Yue-Sai Kan, prominent broadcaster, businesswoman and best-selling author in China, joins New York City children to 'Say Yes for Children'

NEW YORK, NY (July 17, 2001) - Yue-Sai Kan, one of the most influential women in China today, has added her name to a growing number of the world's most respected personalities to lead a global pledging campaign for the Global Movement for Children called Say Yes for Children. The campaign, which has already garnered over 3 million pledges worldwide since its official launch last April, will be focusing on ten overarching principles that seek to improve and protect the lives of children around the world.

Yue-Sai Kan, a Chinese-American, is a household name in China. She is a television personality, cosmetics entrepreneur, humanitarian and best selling-author, who People Magazine dubbed "The Most Famous Woman in China." She recently created the first Asian fashion doll for the international market. Ms. Kan joins an impressive array of international figures already committed to the project, including Nelson Mandela, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Bill Gates, South Korean President Kim Dae-jung, Nobel Laureate Rigoberta Menchu, Queen Rania of Jordan, and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors Mia Farrow, Harry Belafonte, Susan Sarandon, Youssou N'Dour, Roger Moore, Nana Mouskouri and Robbie Williams.

"This campaign is the start of a global movement which aims to transform the way the world treats children," said Ms. Kan. "Today, the Chinese are active participants in global affairs, as is evident by the selection of the country to host the Olympics in 2008 and the impending entry into World Trade Organization. Knowing how much they care about the United Nations and about children, I am hopeful that all Chinese people will get behind this and add their voices to millions of others around the world in saying 'Yes' for children."

Yue-Sai Kan filmed a Public Service Announcements (PSA) in New York on Saturday, which will begin appearing on television stations worldwide later this month and will be featured in a series of 30-second PSAs. Ms. Kan's PSA, filmed in English, Chinese and Mandarin, will make a personal pledge for children around the globe. The PSA promotes the idea that all children should be free to grow to adulthood in health, peace and dignity. Viewers will then be able to pledge their support by signing up in either English or Chinese at www.gmfc.org (no donation or participation needed). Their votes will be presented to world leaders at the United Nations Special Session on Children in New York City on September 19-21, 2001.

International celebrities have joined government and community leaders, artists, children's organizations and young people themselves to help promote the campaign and raise pledges in more than 90 countries. Distributed globally through printed ballots and the Internet, the Say Yes for Children campaign will reach the far corners of the world to rally people behind 10 important values that seek to improve and protect the lives of children. Highlighting the importance of education to the devastation of HIV/AIDS, discrimination to the power of armed conflict, Say Yes focuses attention on the serious issues facing children today.

Yue-Sai Kan

Recently voted in a national poll in China as one of the most influential women in the 20th century, Yue-Sai Kan is a scholar, journalist, television personality, humanitarian and entrepreneur, who has worked to bridge the gap between East and West. In 1992, Kan founded Yue-Sai Kan Cosmetics, which is now China's leading cosmetics company, selling products in over 6000 outlets. Yue-Sai Kan's production company created numerous television series, which were syndicated on PBS, independent stations, and the Discovery Channel.

Other credits include the ABC documentary "China - Walls and Bridges," which earned her an Emmy Award. In 1986, her TV series ONE WORLD became the first ever produced and hosted by a foreigner for the Chinese national network CCTV. It made her a household name in the country of her birth. She has written three highly popular books in Chinese, the latest "Etiquette for the Modern Chinese" has been a best seller in China since last May. Yue-Sai, who funds scholarships for outstanding students in both China and United States, is a member of the Committee of 100 and is involved with many Asian institutions here and abroad. Yue-Sai recently launched the first Asian fashion doll, the Yue-Sai Wa Wa, the most unique new addition to the worldwide doll market, which serves as a role model for girls everywhere and helps merge eastern and western cultures

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