UNICEF Responds to Black Face Ads

Blogger African American Political Pundit sent the following letter to UNICEF today. Here is the interesting part of this situation UNICEF attempted to retrieve the message from my email system, but my firewall blocked it. Check out what they had to say in response to my email. (Hat Tip Black Women in Europe for exposing this issue, and blogger Agent X for the contact information)

Dear UNICEF

I am concerned about the "racial overtones" of the recent campaign of placing white children in black face. As a long time UNICEF supporter, I'm concerned that UNICEF and it's German National Committee for UNICEF are involved in racial hatred with this Ad campaign.

Please find it in the kindness of your heart to withdraw the Ads and denounce the racial hatred the ads imply.

I sincerely hope that UNICEF takes such issues as racial isolation and bigotry seriously.

Please advance humanity by taking the ads down.

UNICEF Responds

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We agree -- these advertisements are not appropriate and run against UNICEF's mission. They have been dropped from the UNICEF German National Committee's website and there are no plans to use them in the future. We apologize for any offence caused.

As a UNICEF supporter, you may be interested to know a little more about the German National Committee's campaign to promote child-friendly schools in six African countries. Launched in late 2004, the campaign aims to raise awareness of the fact that nearly half of all children in Africa lack even primary education.

With funds from private donors, 350 schools have been repaired or newly constructed. In addition, several thousand teachers have been trained and school management improved. In total, around 100,000 children and young people have benefited from this campaign since 2004. The right to education for all children is a prerequisite to develop their full potential and a basis for social and economic development.

Again, we apologize for any offence caused.

Sincerely,

Cinthya Oliveira

Program Services

U.S. Fund for UNICEF

www.unicefusa.org