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LONDON, United Kingdom, January 20 (UNHCR) -- Millions of passengers on the London Underground’s packed trains have something new to look up at with the launch this week of UNHCR awareness ads on every train passing under Britain’s bustling capital.
As part of an effort to promote its global humanitarian assistance and protection mandate as one of the world’s leading aid agencies amongst passengers on one of the world’s busiest metro transport systems, UNHCR has for the first time in the UK launched a visibility campaign in carriages of the London Underground network.
The visually striking posters carry the stark image of a Sudanese Darfuri refugee girl huddled against a driving sandstorm. The blue and white UNHCR ads are emblazoned with the phrase, “For refugees who have lost everything, a little goes a long way,” and occupy the panels along the top of carriages in each train.
“Our goal in mounting this campaign is to sensitise people to UNHCR’s unique global mandate to protect and care for refugees and other displaced people,” said UNHCR Representative Roland Schilling.
“We want Britons to better understand that in many situations, UNHCR and the carefully selected partner charities that operate with us stand by refugees throughout their exile. No matter the challenges, UNHCR works in the deep field and worldwide to mobilise aid and support,” Schilling declared.
UNHCR’s Tube ad notes that the it is almost entirely supported by voluntary contributions, and gives the agency’s UK SMS text donate number, 84424, which riders can use to text “shelter” in order to donate at least £1.90 for its humanitarian work as well as how to contribute online via www.unhcr.org.uk/donate.
“UNHCR is well-known for having helped millions of refugees, but the fact that we’re almost entirely supported by voluntary contributions is often overlooked by people who don’t realise how dependent we are for support,” Schilling said.
Known as the “Tube”, London Underground’s vast network of lines and hundreds of trains carries more than 3.4 million people a day and is the third busiest metro system in Europe, after Moscow and Paris.
To help more than 25 million refugees, asylum-seekers, stateless and internally displaced persons in 118 countries UNHCR this year is seeking £1.845 billion. The UN refugee agency channels approximately one-third of its budget through trusted partner charities including many UK-based agencies.
Two-thirds of UNHCR's 2010 fundraising target will be devoted to refugee programmes, with the aim of ensuring the provision of humanitarian assistance and protection, including adequate housing, ensuring sufficient clean water, proper sanitation facilities, as well as to upgrade and widen access to health and education services. The rest will go to meet the needs of a growing number of internally displaced people and stateless persons as well as for reintegration projects in countries of origin.
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