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The European Commission is giving €112 million to support children affected by the crisis in Syria. EU Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva announced the funding to the 'No Lost Generation' initiative, at a high level event at the UN General Assembly attended by UNICEF, the UN Special Representative for Education, the UK and USAID. This money, part of the overall funding of €215 million announced on Tuesday in support of the response to the Syria crisis, will fund education and child protection activities in Syria and neighbouring countries. It will support the vital work of national governments to strengthen their own national education systems.
"What is at stake here is the future of an entire generation of Syrian children whose lives have been turned upside down, who have been traumatised by the horrors they have seen and who have had to flee their homes in search of safety," said Kristalina Georgieva, Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response.
"We must invest in the children of today because they will be the peacemakers and lawmakers of tomorrow. These young people will be the ones on whom everyone will rely upon to rebuild and shape a more stable and secure future for their country when this horrific conflict eventually ends. "
Background
The No Lost Generation campaign is a cross organisational campaign launched in January 2014 highlighting the danger that a whole generation of Syrians will be left with no education and put the long term development of Syria at risk. The campaign has been organised by UNICEF and is supported by, amongst others, the European Union, UK DFID, USAID, Save the Children, World Vision, Mercy Corps and many other UN bodies.
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