UNICEF and Netflix join forces to reach youth in the earthquake-affected region

31 July 2023, Ankara – To support the development of youth in the affected region, help them reintegrate into social life, heal and tap into their potential, UNICEF and Netflix are partnering to bring hope for the future for youths affected by the earthquake. They will build and animate a temporary Youth Center; GENÇ ALAN, in Gaziantep.

UNICEF will provide a special training programme at the center for 6 months to equip young people with new competencies and improve their social skills. The center will offer a variety of youth-friendly trainings, social interaction opportunities.

The center will also be a space for young people to participate in sports and art activities and socialize in a safe environment while gaining new skills. More than 1000 youth will benefit from the activities that will be provided by the GENÇ ALAN in Nurdağı.

Netflix will fund the programme, and host film and documentary screenings and organize workshops and mentorship programmes to develop the creative skills of young people. Aiming to bring leading figures of the creative sector together with the young people at the center, the Netflix Türkiye team will directly support the relevant activities.

In Türkiye, the earthquakes have created a disaster of colossal proportions, with around 2.4 million people living in formal and informal settlements in earthquake-affected provinces as of June 2023. Damage to school infrastructure has impacted access to education for almost 4 million children, including over 350,000 refugee and migrant children, and around 218,000 teachers.

Paolo Marchi, UNICEF Representative a.i. in Türkiye, said: “The February 6th earthquakes have caused an unprecedented tragedy  a in Türkiye and in the lives of many youths. Since the first day, we have been working round the clock to provide humanitarian support to children and young people affected by the earthquake. Through the partnership with Netflix, we will continue to support young people in the earthquake-affected region of Nurdagi to provide creative youth skilling services that are critical for their growth and development.  This is a great example of the value the partnership between public and private sectors can bring to young people’s lives. UNICEF and Netflix teams have jointly created this programme which will bring healing and hope for the future to many youths affected by the tragedy”.

Pelin Mavili, Director, Public Policy, Turkey & MENA, noted that they are proud to join forces with UNICEF for a meaningful project, “We believe in the healing and unifying power of art and creative activities. Soon after completing our Colorful Dreams Stage project, which we started on April 23 with our industry partners for the children in Hatay and Kahramanmaraş, we now team up with UNICEF. We aim to help the young people in the affected region look to the future with hope and provide a space where they can explore and unlock their potential and skills. We will continue to take part in the efforts to recover together.”

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