UNICEF Marks 25Th Anniversary Of Rights Of The Child Convention

To mark the 25th Anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the most widely ratified legal agreement to protect child rights, UNICEF hosted an event at the General Assembly featuring the #IMAGINE Project – one of the world's largest-ever combined music recordings, to one of the world's most loved songs, John Lennon's Imagine.

Through a new App, music artists, celebrity influencers including athletes and actors, and people around the world will be able to record their contribution (vocals and video) which will be mixed together to create a million voices 'world' version of the song Imagine, produced by David Guetta for UNICEF, in support of children around the world.

2014 also marks two other UNICEF anniversaries: the 60th Anniversary of UNICEF's Goodwill Ambassadors (GWAs) Programme (past and present GWAs include Danny Kay, Audrey Hepburn, David Beckham, Katy Perry, amongst others) and the 35th Anniversary of the Music for UNICEF Concert – a huge gathering of music stars such as ABBA, Bee Gees, Olivia Newton-John and Rod Stewart, in 1979 to help raise awareness and funds for UNICEF.

The programme included Programme included performances by UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors and influential singers representing regions from around the world: Angelique Kidjo; Daniela Mercury; Sonu Nigam; and Laleh, performing ABBA's 'Chiquitita' live.

After Laleh's performance, ABBA's singer Bjorn Ulvaeus, who wrote the song, said "when the song has been, as it were, at the service of UNICEF, it has taken on a new meaning. It's as though the words were sung to all those sad, sad girls out there in the world today who are suppressed in one way or another, who are denied their rightful place in societies."

Actor Hugh Jackman, told the audience that "all children everywhere have the same rights, no matter where they live or what they believe. Now, almost every government in the world has committed to respecting and protecting these rights for children. Yet still, so many children around the world are denied their basic right."

Before a grand finale of a performance of John Lennon's song 'Imagine', his widow, artist Yoko Ono said "think peace, act peace, and spread peace. Imagine peace."

The performance was led by the 15 year old Russian singer, Kristian Kostov, who was then joined by all artists on the main stage of the Hall, accompanied by a 65 person children's choir.

SHOTLIST:
20 NOVEMBER 2014, NEW YORK CITY

Exterior United Nations headquarters
Various shots, Australian actor Hugh Jackman arriving at the General Assembly
Bjorn Ulvaeus from Abba and Swedish pop singer Laleh posing for photos
Ulvaeus
Photo ops
UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake arriving at GA
GA President Sam Kutesa arriving at GA
Various shots, musical performance by Angelique Kidjo
Various shots, Laleh performing Abba's Chiquitita
Various shots, musical performance by Brazilian singer Daniela Mercury
One flashing peace sign
Various shots, musicians performing the song Imagine

SOUNDBITE (English) Bjorn Ulvaeus, Singer from Abba:
"When the song has been, as it were, at the service of UNICEF, it has taken on a new meaning. It's as though the words were sung to all those sad, sad girls out there in the world today who are suppressed in one way or another, who are denied their rightful place in societies."

SOUNDBITE (English) Anthony Lake, UNICEF Executive Director:
"25 years ago the Convention on the Rights of the Child asked us all to imagine a better world for children, and not only to imagine it, but to make that vision real. And today we celebrate the wonderful progress that has been achieved over these last 25 years. But we also need to recall all the millions of children around the world that we have not reached, those for whom life is not better, those that are still being left behind."

SOUNDBITE (English) Hugh Jackman, Actor:
"All children everywhere have the same rights, no matter where they live or what they believe. Now, almost every government in the world has committed to respecting and protecting these rights for children. Yet still, so many children around the world are denied their basic right."

SOUNDBITE (English) Yoko Ono, Artist:
"I'd like to say, think peace, act peace, and spread peace. Imagine peace. Thank you."

DURATION: 04:01