CNN

May 22nd, 2013

CNN celebrates the power of girls in ‘Girl Rising’ and ‘A Girl’s World’

New programming featuring inspiring stories of girls around the globe launches in June on CNN International

CNN International today announced a new slate of programming focused on the empowerment of young girls around the world with the premiere of critically-acclaimed film, ‘Girl Rising’ and launch of ‘A Girl’s World’, a distinctive new series chronicling the lives of seven girls in seven countries.

‘Girl Rising’, filmed before the well-known girls’ education campaigner Malala Yousafzai was shot by the Taliban on her way home from school in Pakistan’s Swat Valley, follows several girls across the globe as they pursue an education.

Like Malala, these girls – who come from Afghanistan, Egypt, Ethiopia, Haiti, Nepal, Peru and Sierra Leone – fight to overcome impossible odds to realise their dreams.

Directed by Academy Award nominee Richard E. Robbins, the two-hour film features voice performances by Academy Award winners Cate Blanchett (Haiti), Anne Hathaway (Afghanistan) and Meryl Streep (Ethiopia), in addition to Salma Hayek (Peru), Chloë Moretz (Egypt), Selena Gomez (Sierra Leone) and Kerry Washington (Nepal).

‘Girl Rising’ premieres on CNN International on Saturday 22 June at 2000 BST / 2100 CET and Sunday 23 June at 0200 BST / 0300 CET and 1400 BST / 1500 CET.

Leading up to the premiere, CNN Digital is offering special coverage of the film along with stories on the power of education at www.CNN.com/girlrising.  Online and on mobile, users can find op-eds, photos, videos, original reporting and behind-the-scenes articles about the film. On 16 June, an online viewer’s guide for each of the girls featured in the film will be published, as well as a live blog encouraging conversation.  CNN Digital will also publish open letters from influential women on the importance of education to empower girls around the world. CNN iReport, the network’s global participatory community, will invite readers to write their own letters. In addition, CNN.com/girlrising will highlight ways for the audience to take action and help girls’ education in their own communities and around the world.

“’Girl Rising’ tells an incredibly important story that highlights the critical role education plays in the empowerment of young girls,” says Mike McCarthy, senior vice president of programming for CNN International. “In ‘A Girl’s World,’ viewers get an intimate look at the unique challenges and opportunities this generation of girls face on a daily basis. Their stories are revealing, surprising and worth sharing with the world.”

Starting 1 July, ‘A Girl’s World’ introduces seven new girls, from Argentina, Germany, Hong Kong, Pakistan, South Africa, the UK and the United States, all with untold – yet familiar – stories.

Airing over the coming months in Connect the World at 2100 BST / 2200 CET; International Desk at 0600 BST / 0700 CET; CNN NewsCenter with Monita Rajpal at 1130 BST / 1230 CET and CNN Newsroom live from Hong Kong at 0000 BST / 0100 CET, ‘A Girl’s World’ explores education, culture, environment, community, faith and family through the eyes of these 16-year-old girls.

Equipped with handheld cameras, these girls tell their stories in their own words, providing viewers with an inside look at their motivations, obstacles and dreams. While their lives might be different, they have much in common.

‘A Girl’s World’ culminates with a special week of programming on CNNI leading up to the United Nations-declared International Day of the Girl, on 11 October.

ENDS

 

For more information, please contact: 

Joel Brown

Senior Press Officer

CNN Europe, Middle East & Africa

Tel: + 44 20 7693 0967

joel.brown@turner.com

 

About ‘Girl Rising’ and the 10×10 Campaign

 

‘Girl Rising’ is the centrepiece of 10×10, a global social action campaign to promote girls’ education. 10×10 was founded by award-winning journalists at the Documentary Group and Vulcan Productions, along with strategic partner, Intel Corporation. CNN is the global broadcast partner for ‘Girl Rising”’, which is the first documentary acquired by CNN Films.

About CNN International

CNN’s portfolio of news and information services is available in five different languages across all major TV, internet and mobile platforms reaching more than 375 million households around the globe. CNN International, awarded “News Channel of the Year” by the Royal Television Society in March 2013, is the number one international TV news channel according to all major media surveys across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the Asia Pacific region and Latin America. The CNN digital network is consistently one of the top news and current affairs destination on the web. CNN has 45 editorial offices and more than 1,100 affiliates worldwide through CNN Newsource. CNN International is part of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company.

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