TEHRAN – The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Book City Institute have signed a three-year agreement to promote children’s welfare and rights across the country.

The three-year partnership agreement was signed by UNICEF ad interim Representative in Iran, Monika Oledzka Nielson, and CEO and President of the Board of the Book City Institute, Mehdi Firouzan, in a ceremony on November 18.

Book City is an Iranian network of bookstores with over 100 active -branches, where 1,500 employees introduce books and cultural products to their community.

This collaboration aims to leverage the unique strengths, networks, and expertise of both organizations to support the most vulnerable children in various provinces of the country, the UNICEF website announced in a press release.

As part of this partnership, the two partners will launch a series of advocacy and awareness-raising initiatives to foster a love for reading among children.

Key activities will include organizing book-reading leagues and clubs for vulnerable children, instituting cultural awards to honor children’s book authors and publishers, and mobilizing resources to support UNICEF’s critical programs in Iran. 

Book City and UNICEF Iran will work together to respect and support children’s rights in the workplace, marketplace and community. Both organizations aim to set an example by integrating best practices to advance children’s rights into their operations and outreach. 

“This partnership is a remarkable opportunity for UNICEF to leverage Book City’s vast capacity and reach to extend vital messages to children and the general public,” said Nielsen. 

“In Iran, the private sector holds immense potential to contribute resources, expertise, and innovations to support UNICEF in achieving meaningful results for the most vulnerable children. Today, UNICEF and

Book City join hands to help Iran’s children live their dreams, with smiles lighting up their faces,” she further noted.

Through this partnership, UNICEF aims to deepen its engagement with the private sector in Iran, strengthening corporate commitment to the communities in which they operate. 

In turn, UNICEF offers businesses opportunities to enhance their image, bolster brand trust, and inspire morale among staff and stakeholders. 

Firouzan, for his part, said, “I have devoted my entire life and career to the cultural advancement of children and adolescents, so this partnership is a great honor for me. 

UNICEF and Book City collaboration will strengthen the connections we have made with the universities and cultural centers over the past years and open new windows of opportunity for Book City.” 

Referring to Nielsen’s speech, Firouzan added that Book City intends to put a smile on the faces of children and adolescents and guide them towards their dreams via cultural platforms adopting aesthetic knowledge. 

Recent partnerships 

On September 9, the Iran-Austria Joint Chamber of Commerce (IAJCC) and UNICEF signed a three-year agreement to work for the welfare and well-being of children in Iran.

As per this partnership, the IAJCC will mobilize its members’ financial support for UNICEF programs in Iran. UNICEF and the IAJCC will also work together to offer opportunities for the business sector to mitigate negative impacts and yield positive results for children.

“UNICEF highly appreciates the support of the IAJCC to promote responsible business practices among private and public sector aimed at advancing children’s welfare in Iran in different areas such as healthcare, nutrition, social protection, clean water, and education,” said UNICEF former Representative in Iran, Robin Nandy, adding, “We look forward to more such partnerships to place children’s rights at the heart of the corporate sustainability agenda.”

The president of IAJCC, Nariman Sadri, for his part, said, “Together with UNICEF, we are poised to make a significant impact in areas such as healthcare, clean water, and education, ensuring that every child in Iran has the opportunity to thrive.”

The current country program between the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and UNICEF, from 2023 to 2027, is focused on the following areas: Health and Nutrition, Education and Adolescent Empowerment, Child Protection, Social Policy, Emergency, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene as well as the climate change.

On July 8, UNICEF and Panter Group signed a three-year partnership agreement titled ‘Creativity for All Children’ to improve the lives of the most vulnerable children and adolescents in Iran.

The partnership provides financial support to UNICEF programs. As per this partnership, the Panter Group will donate part of the proceeds from the sale of its selected products to UNICEF.

MT/MG