Launched in June, the eight-week digital campaign is based on the lasting popularity of beloved smurfs to encourage young people-as well as their parents and caregivers-to raise their voices about problems that matter to them.

THE initiative is part of the UN Accelerate effort for the Sustainable development objectives (ODD) and aims to empower individuals, in particular children, to express themselves and to act in their communities.

Voice for change

With Rihanna, Hannah Waddingham, Billie Lourd and Amy Sedaris – who express various characters in a future film of Smurfs – the campaign Includes ads for dynamic public services (PSA) and colorful social media cards.

“” Smurfs know the importance of speaking and speaking because everyone, each child, has the right to be heard“Said Hannah Waddingham, who expresses Jezebeth in the film.

“” The power of change creation is already in you. You just have to act“Added Billie Lourd (concern for concern).

Amy Sedaris (Jaunty) simply summed it up: “It’s easy if you follow the Smurf plan. Small actions can add up to make a big difference.“”

The videos, produced in several formats, directed viewers to a dedicated ” Speak with the Smurfs»Section on the Actnow platform, which offers tools and resources adapted to children.

Smurfing

To make things wrong – the campaign invites everyone to “fail their voice” and help make a better future fail, one action at a time. Whether you are five or fifty-five years old, there is always a way to change your positive change.

In Smurf-Speak, “Smurf” can mean almost anything-name, verb or adjective-but the message here is clear: Smurf your voice, fails your rights, fails the future.

UnicefThe involvement is centered on the guarantee that the message reaches children around the world – and that they are equipped to participate significantly in decisions affecting their lives.

Global deployment

The campaign is promoted on the platforms of Paramount Global-notably CBS, MTV, Nickelodeon, Bet, Comedy Central, Streaming Services like Paramount + and Pluto TV, and the free network net 10 in Australia.

The contents on the theme of the Smurf will also enlighten Times Square in New York and will appear on markets through Europe, Latin America and Asia.

The content is available in more than a dozen languages, including Arabic, French, Spanish, Hindi, Kiswahili and Japanese, to ensure wide accessibility.

About Smurfs

Introduced for the first time in 1958, the Smurfs are small blue fictitious characters known for their teamwork, their mischief and their unique way of speaking.

Children’s generations (like this author and her little ones) followed their adventures, and their continuous attraction has made them ideal messengers for values such as cooperation, kindness and now global citizenship.

By bringing together a new generation to speak – or fail – the campaign hopes to inspire a significant and lasting change for children (and adults) everywhere.

“” The fuel is the backbone of survival in Gaza »» says the declaration. “Without fuel, these lifelines will disappear for 2.1 million people.”

UN humanitarian workers stressed that fuel feeds everything, hospitals and water systems with bakeries and ambulances.

Without regular supply, ” Maternity, neonatal and intensive care units fail, and ambulances can no longer move. The fuel shortage, she said, left the population of Gaza-already faced with severe food insecurity and the constant threat of violence-on the verge of disaster.

They warned that “without adequate fuel, UN agencies responding to this crisis will probably be forced to stop their operations entirely”, which means “no health services, no clean water and no capacity to provide help”.

Inadequate fuel injection

The agencies noted that for the first time in 130 days, a small amount of fuel had been allowed to enter Gaza this week. Although welcome, the amount – only 75,000 liters over two days – is far from sufficient to meet the daily needs of the population and vital civil aid operations.

Speaking at the UN headquarters in New York on Friday evening, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric described the global situation as “disastrous and aggravated day by day”.

“” Each day constantly provides more preventable deaths -Children dying of pain, and hungry people fired on a net of aid that is authorized, “he said.

Mortal

Mr. Dujarric also expressed a profound concern about the continuation of Israeli restrictions on access to aid. “Yesterday, our teams could provide hospitals with part of the fuel that came – but only in the south. It is because Israeli authorities have denied our attempt to do fuel to the north“He said.” Such denials are fatal. »»

He added that the fuel shortage also affects water treatment, ambulances and waste management. “” All these services may collapse“He said.

Out of 15 humanitarian missions which required coordination with the Israeli authorities on Thursday, only six were completely facilitated. Five were refused squarely, while four were facing obstacles that have delayed or prevented delivery.

A mission, to save injured people trapped under rubble in Gaza City, was only approved two days after the initial request – too late to save lives. “” As the mission was finally authorized yesterday, no one was found alive“Said Dujarric.

In addition to this, essential items such as tents and shelter materials are prevented from entering Gaza for more than four months, leaving thousands of people exposed to the elements.

Call closed

Humanitarian workers are also in danger. “Five strikes landed just a few hundred meters from the place where humanitarian workers operated this week, including UN staff,” said Dujarric. No injury was reported, but several Red Crescent workers were slaughtered while trying to help an injured colleague.

The United Nations agencies call for immediate and coherent delivery of large -scale fuel and full and safe access to all parties of Gaza. “The urgency of this moment cannot be overestimated,” they said. “” Without fuel, Gaza faces a complete collapse of humanitarian efforts. “”

THE studyDirected by Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, in collaboration with Australia Burnet Institute, and published In the global health of the British medical newspaper doing authority (BMJ), analyzed 210 epidemics in 49 low -income countries over a period of 23 years.

He found that the rapid deployment of vaccines during cholera epidemics, EbolaDotebacle, meningitis and yellow fever resulted in an estimated reduction in diseases and deaths of almost 60% on average.

For diseases like yellow fever and ebola, the impact was even more dramatic: the deaths of yellow fever dropped by 99%, while the deaths of Ebola dropped by 76%.

The results highlight not only the effectiveness of emergency vaccination, but also the essential role of preparation and speed in response to emerging threats.

“For the first time, we are able to in -depth quantify the advantages, in human and economic terms, to deploy vaccines against epidemics of some of the deadliest infectious diseases,” said Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi.

“” This study clearly demonstrates the power of vaccines as a profitable counter-measurement of the increasing risk that the world is confronted from epidemics.“”

GAVI: a rescue partnership

Gavi, the vaccine alliance, is a Single global partnership This helps to vaccinate almost half of the world in the world against deadly and debilitating diseases.

He gather Development of governments of countries and donors, the World Health Organization (WHO), UN children’s funds (Unicef), the World Bank, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other key partners to extend access to vaccination.

GAVI also maintains global vaccine stocks for major diseases, managed in coordination with WHO, UNICEF, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

Quantification of lives and costs saved

In addition to reducing deaths and years of life adjusted in terms of adjusted people, emergency vaccination during the 210 epidemics studied generated nearly $ 32 billion in economic advantages – from avoiding premature deaths and years of life lost to invalidity.

The study authors claim that this figure is probably a conservative estimate, because it does not include the wider social and macroeconomic impacts of major epidemics.

For example, the Ebola 2014 Ebola epidemic in West Africa, which occurred before an approved vaccine was available, cost the region about $ 53 billion. On the other hand, subsequent epidemics responded to emergency vaccines saw the reduced deaths of three quarters and the regional distribution threat has lowered.

Disease gains by illness

The study provides a deterioration in the effectiveness of vaccines by the disease.

MeaslesOne of the best known infectious viruses has seen the cases drop by 59% and deaths of 52% thanks to the response campaigns to epidemics.

Yellow fever I saw the biggest gains, emergency vaccination almost eliminating death – a 99%drop.

Cholera And meningitiswhich often strikes communities with limited access and infrastructure in terms of health, has experienced more modest but always significant reductions in cases and deaths.

Vaccinations have helped to reduce the cases and deaths of cholera respectively by 28% and 36%, through 40 cholera epidemics between 2011 and 2023. For meningitis, cases and deaths dropped by 27% and 28% respectively, over 10 years.

Vaccines, COVID-19 and future threats

THE Corona Virus“> The cocovio-19 pandemic was a brutal reminder of the value of the vaccines, which saved around 20 million lives worldwide during the first year of deployment alone,, according to The Lancet Medical Journal respected and influential.

However, the pandemic also disrupted routine immunization, leading to a dangerous decline in disease coverage rates such as measles and polio. The GAVI study underlines that emergency vaccination must be associated with solid routine vaccination systems to prevent future epidemics.

In the future, GAVI 2026-2030’s strategy includes expansion of stocks, accelerating access to vaccines for diseases such as MPOX and hepatitis E, and support preventive campaigns in high-risk regions.

UN News visited the farm to mark the first World Horse Dayestablished this year by the United Nations General Assembly. By creating the day, the Member States have sent a clear message: animals deserve to be treated with care and respect.

A faithful companion

Former battlefields with modern therapeutic programs, horses have been on the side of humanity for millennia – but in the world of high technology today, few remember this heritage.

“The horses did not just help us to survive,” explains Marisa Striano. “They built America with us. They plowed the earth, they transported people. ”

Many cultures worship horses not only for their strength, but for their spiritual presence. In Mongolia – the country which introduced the resolution of World Horse Day – horses are sacred, at the heart of national identity. Children there often learn to ride before they can walk and folk songs celebrate the loyalty and nobility of animals.

Fading

Once the main mode of transport of humanity, the horses have been largely replaced by machines. Today, they are mainly in sport, tourism, therapy and entertainment. But this change does not mean that they have lost their place in human life. “Horses have not lost their value – we have just stopped seeing it,” explains Roano.

A second chance

Sick, aging or retired horses are often shipped to slaughterhouses in Canada or Mexico.

“Imagine working for 15 years, giving everything, then being thrown just because you have aged,” explains Striano. “These are the horses we take. We give them more time. A second chance. »»

The farm houses 19 horses rescued, including retired police horses, old reproductive stallions and even old Amish work horses – each with its own story.

“One of them is Gus – he is 107 years old in the human years,” explains Striano. “He was a therapy horse, but in the end, he started throwing children. Now he is retired and in love with his blind companion, Ramona. They are inseparable. It is the soul of the horse. »»

Emotional congruence

Horses are not only aid – they are deeply emotional, intuitive and highly social beings. With a vision nearly 360 degrees and an increased sensitivity to their environment, horses are naturally listening to emotional states, explains Striano. This makes it ideal partners in therapeutic contexts.

At the promise of Spirit, horses work with disabled children, survivors of mistreatment and older adults with dementia. A horse can calm an anxious teenager or bring joy to someone who thought they had forgotten how to feel it.

They are often called “emotional mirrors”: horses instantly take up the true inner state of a person-even if the person is not aware of it.

“Horses are 100% emotion. They don’t lie, and they can’t bear others, ”explains Ms. Striano. “If you say that you are well but inside, you will collapse, they will feel it – and will move you away. But if you are honest – even if you are sad or angry – they will stay with you. »»

This sensitivity makes it remarkable companions for those who experience sorrow, dependence or trauma. A moment stands out alive for her.

A young man came to the farm at the start of his recovery from drug addiction. Dressed in a hooded sweatshirt with pulled sleeves, he seemed constantly on guard. At the time, the farm had a horse called Heartbreaker. Although she has passed since then, Striano remembers what happened then with AWE.

“She approached him and simply accepted him,” said Ms. Roano. “She looked at him as,” I see you are broken. I am too. But this is not the end. You can always love. »»

The two entered the paddock together. Heartbreaker is lying on the ground, and the man was sitting next to her, placing his face on his body. For half an hour, they were sitting there in silence.

“It was a complete peace,” recalls Ms. Striano. “Confidence without words. Presence without conditions. ” Then the young man’s mother approached. Heartbreaker, who had been calm and sweet, suddenly agitated – sniffing, throwing his head, trying to free himself.

“She acted as if she wanted to protect him from her mother,” she said. “I rushed to direct sorrow. And the young man turned to me and whispered ”, she hides behind her religion, but she did not forgive me. She will never say it – but the horse has seen it. »»

For Ms. Striano, it confirmed something that she saw again and again: horses do not respond to appearances, only the truth. “They don’t see the mask. They see the soul. And it is their power. They see us for whom we are really – and always choose to be with us. ”

Between care and exploitation

The debates around the exploitation of horses are underway: carriage horses at the race industries and industries, where is the border between tradition and cruelty?

“I hate the race,” said Ms. Striano. “Maybe it had a goal once. Now it’s just a matter of money. Horses are pumped with drugs, locked up, used. Then shot down. »»

At the same time, she recognizes that ethical questions are not always clear. “I do not believe to sacrifice one soul for another,” she said when they asked her questions about horses pulling cars for Central Park tourists in New York. “These horses nourish whole families. We have to find a balance. But we must never forget: horses are not tools. They are living beings. “

To forgive and love again

For Ms. Striano and the horses she takes care of, the farm is a place where confidence between species is rebuilt. She considers her work as a privilege – a daily chance to be with creatures who know how to forgive and love again, no matter what they have experienced.

“When I enter the paddock and they come to me – I thank them. Every time, ”she says. “Because a horse is pure. They are not with you because you broke them – they are with you because they have chosen to be. And that means everything. »»

A day to say “thank you”

According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (Fao), there are about 60.8 million horses worldwide. The United States has 2.41 million horses and ponies in 63,000 farms, while the European Union is home to around 7 million horses and 800,000 jobs in equestrian farming, sport and tourism. In Mongolia, there are 3.4 million horses – almost one for each person.

Beyond sport and industry, horses, donkeys and mules are vital for rural life. According to research from the World Animal Health and FAO Organization, 112 million work equines support the means of subsistence of some 600 million people in low and intermediate income countries, helping to transport water, food and much more.

On July 11, the first world horse day, the UN invited the world to say “thank you” to the faithful companion of humanity – for their work, their confidence and their patience. To stay by our side – and help us heal. “A horse is a gift,” explains Ms. Striano. “And we don’t have the right to lose it.”