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Press release


  • 23 January 2008

Vanessa Redgrave visits campus for UNICEF film show


Childrens champion: Vanessa Redgrave

Children's champion: Vanessa Redgrave

Oscar-winning actress and human rights activist Vanessa Redgrave will be guest speaker at a special film event promoting the work of children's organisation UNICEF, to be held at the University of Sussex on Friday 1st February.

Ms Redgrave, who is a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations children's rights organisation UNICEF, will be speaking about her work. She will also introduce the screening of her documentary Wake up World, which includes footage of her last visit to campus in 2006 and brief interviews with Sussex graduate Dr Marzieh Asgari-Targhi (then Head of UNICEF Society and a research graduate of the University's department of Informatics) and Professor Sir Richard Jolly, research associate and former director of the Institute of Development Studies, based at the University of Sussex.

The film, made by Ms Redgrave and her son, documentary filmmaker Carlo Nero, marks the 60th anniversary of UNICEF, and celebrates, from a personal point of view, the progress made by UNICEF on behalf of children around the world over the past six decades.

Ms Redgrave says: "I would like the present generation of young people to know how important the United Nations is, how it works or how it's prevented from working ... but how UNICEF always works. And that's what makes UNICEF unique, because it can go in where no other agency can and it can negotiate for all children."

The event was organised by UNICEF on Campus, which aims to raise funds and awareness among students and staff through lectures, art shows and performances.

UNICEF on Campus was launched at Sussex in 2004 when the University became the first-ever higher education institution in the country to work in partnership with the charity.

UNICEF On Campus chair, Nathan Catt, says: "It's an honour to have such an esteemed person as Vanessa visit us again and continue to spread the word about all the good work UNICEF does. She truly is an inspiration and I hope as many people as possible can make it to hear her speak."

Notes for editors

  • The event begins at 1.15pm on Friday, 1st February, in the Chichester Lecture Theatre on the University of Sussex campus. The event is open to all and entry is free, but donations are welcome. See directions on how to get here
  • Sir Richard Jolly is an honorary chairman of UNICEF on Campus at Sussex and was deputy executive director of UNICEF Worldwide from 1982 to 1996.
  • For more details about Wake Up World and the work of UNICEF, see: Film

University of Sussex Press office contacts:. Maggie Clune and Jacqui Bealing. Tel: 01273 678 888 or email press@sussex.ac.uk

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