Dakota Fanning Helps Celebrate International Day Of The Girl
By: Hope Wilkos, Writer
The United Nations was eager for the arrival of Tuesday, October 11, 2016. The significance of this particular day has spread far and wide as each year passes and it has come to be known as International Day Of The Girl. October 11th brought with it a message for communities and policy makers to put the focus on discussing and brainstorming solutions to end discrimination against girls and lead an effort to creating opportunities for girls to attain their full potential.
Assisting in the tribute to honor the day was Save The Children Artist Ambassador, the very gifted and young Dakota Fanning. This organization has one priority and devoted mission to follow. Save The Children is international in scope, working to promote children’s rights and providing much needed relief and support for children in developing countries.
Fanning was joined by Carolyn Miles, Save the Children’s president & CEO, a very lucky group of girls from the New York Tri-State area, who also happen to be Save the Children child sponsors, and a sponsored girl from South Carolina as they made this day remarkable and memorable. They made their way to one of the most iconic landmarks in all of Manhattan. They chose the Empire State Building and made it magnificent, even more so as the sun set, an image illuminated against the night sky in a brilliant red hue for the city to take notice of while highlighting the challenges that confront girls today. The vibrant red color on this statuesque skyscraper symbolized a raised sense of awareness on the issues facing girls, and, additionally, embellished the need to educate and empower girls in all parts of the world.
“Worldwide, girls are far more likely to miss out on school, marry too early and grow up too fast. People often talk about women’s empowerment, but that begins with girls. Together, we need to do more to ensure every last girl has a childhood, and a better and brighter future,” said Carolyn Miles, president & CEO of Save the Children. “That’s why today, on International Day of the Girl, Save the Children is shining a light on girls.”
“Every girl deserves to follow her dreams no matter where she comes from or what her circumstances are,” said Fanning, known for roles in notable films such as “I Am Sam,” “The Runaways,” “The Twilight Saga” and the upcoming “American Pastoral.” “The first step in doing that is bringing attention to the barriers girls face globally. The second step is empowering young girls to reach their full potential. This is why I am here today, honoring International Day of the Girl and lighting up the Empire State Building with Save the Children.”
Save the Children believes that reaching girls is a critical component of ending early marriage, preventable maternal and child deaths and ensuring our collective future. The Save the Children sponsorship program, in particular, helps provide girls and boys with the necessities for a healthy and successful start to their life – nutrition, early childhood and adolescent development, education and school health. To gain true reward for doing a heartfelt deed such as this, join Dakota Fanning as a child sponsor and to learn more about the initiative International Day Of The Girl, visit https://sponsor.savethechildren.org/.
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Mike Coppola.
