Opening up a world of education
Children love to learn. If they are denied access to knowledge, we also deny them the opportunity to change their lives for the better.
Explore the powerful partnerships that have united these influential figures with the Education Above All (EAA) Foundation's mission of providing access to quality education to children worldwide. From renowned actors, sports stars, supermodels and celebrated musicians, this page showcases the impactful contributions made by these extraordinary individuals in shaping a better future through education.
Adriana Lima is a strong voice for education and EAA collaborator. From her own story to seeing first-hand how disaster and conflict have affected schools and education, Adriana Lima visited schools and facilities impacted by the blast in the port of Beirut in 2020. These schools and facilities were reconstructed in partnership with UNESO and EAA. In 2022, during the World Cup, she gave her presence and voice to EAA to advocate for the Sustainable Development Goals.
David Beckham has been lending his voice to those fighting for peace worldwide and advocating for their rights to healthcare and education. He first collaborated with EAA by participating in the inaugural observance of the International Day to Protect Education from Attack on 9 September 2020 and the #UniteToProtect campaign. During the World Cup 2022, David Beckham joined EAA's #SDGMoments campaign during the 'Sailing4theGoals' event. Additionally, he spoke in 2022 multiple times at EAA events about the importance of sports and education.
Forest Whitaker has partnered with EAA through his Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative (WPDI) since 2016. Through our long-standing partnership, his foundation has committed to empowering youth in fragile and conflict-affected communities in Uganda and South Sudan with the skills necessary for human rights advocacy while focusing on education, peacebuilding, and sustainable development. Forest Whitaker has advocated for education and peacebuilding in speaking and participating at EAA events, in 2017 at The Hague, and again in 2019 for the PEIC 10th Anniversary event.
MC Abdul collaborated with EAA during the fourth observance of the International Day to Protect Education from Attack when he debuted his music video ‘The Pen & The Sword’ at the United Nations Headquarters in 2023. He advocated for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4). SDG4 ensures inclusive and equitable quality education and promotes lifelong learning opportunities for all.
In October 2013, Meryl Streep collaborated with EAA on the 'Education at the Extreme' video, which was shown to global leaders and has become a powerful tool for raising awareness on removing barriers to education. The video focused on the UN Millennium Development Goal to bring every child into primary education by 2015, later replaced by the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030.
Robert De Niro collaborated with EAA at the 2012 WISE Summit and narrated the 'Bringing Hope to Out of School Children' session's opening video to highlight the plight of students who face challenges accessing education. The video highlights the need for the international community to work together to dismantle barriers to education, including poverty, conflict, exclusion, and discrimination.
Roger Federer has played an instrumental role in supporting EAA initiatives through the Roger Federer Foundation. In 2014, the foundation supported 30 rural and marginalized primary schools in Limpopo, South Africa, benefiting 18,000 children. The initiative involved providing teachers with training on assisting vulnerable students. Roger has continued to support EAA and our mission by advocating for out of school children at key events in 2018 and 2021.
Shakira has been an advocate for equitable and accessible education through her foundation, Fundación Pies Descalzos (FPD), which partnered with EAA on the All in School project. Together, through this project, we have identified over 69,000 out of school and at risk children in Colombia and helped reintegrate them into appropriate academic settings. Also, Shakira has personally advocated for accessible quality education with her keynote speech during the EAA Plenary at the 2019 WISE Summit and other events alongside EAA.
Sofia Carson has advocated for education by engaging in the fourth observance of the International Day to Protect Education from Attack. She spoke at the launch of the 'Decade of Dreams' exhibition, organised in partnership with UNICEF. She also appeared at EAA’s 'Unbreakable Dreams: Protecting Education in Times of Conflict' exhibition at the UN Headquarters in New York.
Photo: © UNICEF/UNI436032/Chalasani
Interested in becoming a Friend of the Education Above All Foundation? Let's work together.
NOTE: Collaboration with the Friends of the EAA Foundation may be limited to specific projects and/or events. Their representation here does not imply a long-standing or formal relationship with the Foundation unless explicitly stated.
"Humanity will not overcome the immense challenges we face unless we ensure that children get the quality education that equips them to play their part in the modern world." -- HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser
Join our Newsletter
September 30, 2024
