Last Updated: 2013.03.25
UNIQLO Announces Eight Great Ideas to Support Under its "Clothes for Smiles" Program Partnership with Novak Djokovic Aims to Build a Brighter Future for Kids
UNIQLO Co., Ltd.
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March 25, 2013 - Tokyo, Japan -- UNIQLO today announces plans to support eight great ideas aimed at giving kids around the world a brighter future. The effort is an exciting new initiative for the "Clothes for Smiles" (CFS) program developed with Novak Djokovic, the world's top-ranked men's professional tennis player and UNIQLO Global Brand Ambassador. UNIQLO launched the CFS program in October 2012 with a call for ideas from the general public on ways to give children in need a better tomorrow. In response, UNIQLO received a total of 739 inspiring ideas from 46 countries. A panel of five distinguished judges selected the best ideas for CFS. Alongside Novak Djokovic and Tadashi Yanai, Fast Retailing Chairman, President & CEO, the panel comprised of Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, renowned violinist and composer Ikuko Kawai, and leading architect Tadao Ando.
Working closely with the idea's originators, UNIQLO will begin bringing them to life from April,. UNIQLO will support these projects with U.S. $5 million*, half of a U.S. $10 million* fund established from the sale of HEATTECH and Ultra Light Down items during the 2012 fall/winter season. The other U.S. $5 million in the fund goes towards support for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
Through initiatives such as "Clothes for Smiles," UNIQLO aims to leverage the power of its clothing to improve lives, worldwide.
Commenting on today's announcement, Tadashi Yanai said, "Clothes for Smiles is a new program UNIQLO started together with Mr. Novak Djokovic, based on a shared vision to build a better future for our children. I was very pleased with the tremendous response to our call for ideas from the general public. These ideas ranged from initiatives to bring more fun to children's lives, to measures that address some of the social issues that children are facing today. Personally, I selected ideas on the basis of whether they are truly vital for today's children. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who submitted ideas. We wish to continue supporting initiatives that are truly essential to society in a style that is uniquely UNIQLO."
Novak Djokovic commented, "I would like to express my appreciation and gratitude to all of you who have submitted the ideas to the program. Your ideas are very inspirational and touching, and many children will benefit! Keeping in mind that the judges' final decision is not a goal but a new place to start, I will continue to support the CFS program in collaboration with UNIQLO. A constant commitment is vital for such a program, and I hope that our initiative will serve as a catalyst to create a network of companies and societies that can help to make the world a better place. This is just the beginning, and together we can do so much more and put smiles on many children's faces. Thank you all."
The Eight Ideas Selected for the Clothes for Smiles Program:
- • UNIQLO Dream Walls: an innovative project to build walls in public spaces where children can have fun practicing and improving their ball skills.
- • Schooling Anywhere: an initiative to offer children in developing countries learning opportunities outside the classroom, tutored by professionals in fields such as sports, arts and crafts, music, and engineering.
- • An exciting project to offer displaced children living in Serbian refugee centers their first experience of shopping for new clothes using virtual money.
- • A great project to provide DVD-based tutoring to students in developing countries, to help reduce educational inequality.
- • A program to create special libraries, where children of all backgrounds can read and learn in a welcoming and informal atmosphere, to help raise literacy rates in developing countries in Asia.
- • An inspiring project to establish a hospice dedicated to enabling children with life-threatening diseases or disabilities and their families to spend their remaining time together in comfort.
- • Waku Work Center: a project to build job training facilities and business incubation centers to help destitute young people in the Philippines become self-reliant.
- • A program to support girls' soccer teams, to instill confidence in girls in developing countries through sport and teamwork.
*Please note that dollar values converted from yen at $1 USD to 100 yen exchange rate.
■ About UNIQLO's Clothes for Smiles Program
Launched in October 2012, Clothes for Smiles is a program UNIQLO developed in partnership with UNIQLO Global Brand Ambassador Novak Djokovic. The program's goal is to bring smiles to kids all over the world, nurturing their dreams and giving them the tools to build better and brighter futures. To support this initiative, UNIQLO established a U.S. $10 million fund from the proceeds of sales of HEATTECH and Ultra Light Down items during the 2012 fall/winter season. There are two elements to the program, with each assigned U.S. $5 million. The first element, announced today, involves UNIQLO turning ideas from people around the world into concrete initiatives designed to give children a better tomorrow. The second element involves helping improve children's education around the world through a global alliance between UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) and Fast Retailing, UNIQLO's parent company.
A panel of five distinguished judges selected the best ideas for CFS. Alongside Novak Djokovic and Tadashi Yanai, the panel comprised of Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, renowned violinist and composer Ikuko Kawai, and leading architect Tadao Ando.
For more information, please visit: https://www.uniqlo.com/smiles/
