TURIN, Italy--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- On the day of the UEFA Europa League Final 2014, The Western Union Company (NYSE:WU), a leader in global payment services and Global Partner of the UEFA Europa League, together with the Western Union Foundation, announces the contribution to education that its PASS initiative has been making after a second season of the programme that has supported UNICEF secondary education programs in Jamaica, Nigeria and Turkey.

Western Union’s PASS initiative has been turning every successful pass made during the 2012/13, current and next season of the UEFA Europa League into support for access to quality education for young people around the world.

SL Benfica will take on Sevilla FC at the Juventus Stadium in Turin, which will take the number of passes completed during Western Union’s sponsorship term to date to more than 350,000 having reached 170,000 at the end of the 2012/13 season.

The Western Union PASS initiative is not only meeting its objectives in terms of on-the-ground delivery; it is also driving awareness of the global education issue highlighted by the company’s broader Education for Better campaign and attracting some high profile support from within the game. In February, former Brazilian football legend Roberto Carlos met with students supported by UNICEF and the PASS initiative in Istanbul, Turkey. Later that same month, former Eintracht Frankfurt star and Nigerian international, Jay-Jay Okocha , also lent his support. PASS lead ambassador, Patrick Vieira , will travel to Senegal with Western Union and UNICEF immediately after this season’s UEFA Europa League Final to see how the funds donated to UNICEF through the PASS initiative will impact children’s lives and help them complete their education.

“Where I come from, many children face challenges that prevent them from completing school,” explained Vieira, the former AS Cannes, AC Milan, Arsenal FC, Juventus, FC Internazionale Milano, Manchester City FC and French international player, who was born in Senegal before moving to France at the age of eight and is currently manager of the Elite Development Squad at Manchester City FC.

““Football was my ticket to success, but for the vast majority of young people education is the key that allows them to become whatever they want to be. What’s so impactful about this initiative is that what players are doing on the pitch is being translated off it, by Western Union, into funding that will benefit students, teachers and schools across the world. Particularly in places that need it most, like Senegal, so I’m hugely looking forward to travelling back there later this week” said Vieira.

The PASS initiative will run for the three years of Western Union’s sponsorship of the UEFA Europa League through to the 2015 final. Through the program, Western Union is committed to supporting education in select countries around the world.

“Moving money for better is at the heart of what we do as a company, and education is one of the main reasons our customers send money,” explained Diane Scott , Western Union Chief Product and Marketing Officer and Western Union Foundation Board Member.

“Through PASS, we wanted to harness the power of football to build awareness of the global education challenge the world faces as well as deliver on-the-ground support that will make a difference to young people and their communities. That is why it’s been very rewarding to see the education funding being delivered in these countries and why this end of season report is so positive.”

“We are grateful for Western Union’s continued support of UNICEF. This commitment to education will help UNICEF invest in training teachers, and provide vocational and life skills guidance to improve young people’s chances of completing school and successfully transitioning into the workplace as adults,” said Gérard Bocquenet, UNICEF Director of Private Fundraising and Partnerships. “We are proud to work with Western Union to help more children access a quality education and provide them with a chance for a better future.”

During the first year, Western Union’s PASS collaboration with UNICEF focused on education programs in Nigeria, Jamaica and Turkey, and education programs will be supported starting later this year in Brazil, Senegal, Morocco and China. Western Union’s funding is supporting activities including teacher training and curriculum development; financial literacy, vocational and life skills training for adolescents; school improvements; eliminating barriers to school access, and more. Funding from the PASS initiative will help enable UNICEF to implement these interventions, aiming to provide access to one million days of education for children.

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About Western Union

The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) is a leader in global payment services. Together with its Vigo, Orlandi Valuta, Pago Facil and Western Union Business Solutions branded payment services, Western Union provides consumers and businesses with fast, reliable and convenient ways to send and receive money around the world, to send payments and to purchase money orders. As of March 31, 2014, the Western Union, Vigo and Orlandi Valuta branded services were offered through a combined network of over 500,000 agent locations in 200 countries and territories and over 100,000 ATMs. In 2013, The Western Union Company completed 242 million consumer-to-consumer transactions worldwide, moving $82 billion of principal between consumers, and 459 million business payments. For more information, visit www.westernunion.com.

About the Western Union Foundation

The Western Union Foundation is dedicated to creating a better world, where the ability to realize dreams through economic opportunity is not just a privilege for the few but a right for all. Through its signature program, Education for Better, and with the support of The Western Union Company, its employees, Agents, and business partners, The Western Union Foundation works to realize this vision by supporting education and disaster relief efforts as pathways toward a better future. Our combined social ventures efforts make life better for individuals, families and communities around the world. Since its inception, The Western Union Foundation has paid more than $96.0 million in grants and other giving. These funds have been pledged to more than 2,720 nongovernmental organizations in more than 133 countries and territories. The Western Union Foundation, is a separate §501(c)(3) recognized United States charity. To learn more, visit www.westernunionfoundation.org

About Western Union’s UEFA Europa League Sponsorship

In July 2012, Western Union announced a three year deal as the new Global Partner and the Presenting Sponsor of the UEFA Europa League. This sponsorship of the world’s largest club competition, comprising 193 professional football teams from 53 countries, provides Western Union with a unique opportunity for worldwide brand visibility, with the competition broadcast in more than 200 countries and territories, and enjoying a global live match unique reach of 634 million per season. This will allow Western Union, with its extensive network of approximately 515,000 Agent locations in over 200 countries and territories, to engage its customers and Agents in the excitement of the UEFA Europa League. The agreement also provides video, digital and social media content opportunities, and use of the UEFA Europa League brand assets. This partnership will run to the UEFA Europa League Final in 2015.

About UNICEF

UNICEF works in more than 190 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. For more information about UNICEF and its work visit: www.unicef.org

Source: Western Union