#everyvoicecounts, #IMAGINE
Download the video of Samantha singing Imagine and her message to the world about children:
Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti_Singing #IMAGINE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION/ROME 22 December 2014 – From the vast distance of space, Italian astronaut, Samantha Cristoforetti, today joined the UNICEF #IMAGINE campaign, adding her voice to an expanding global chorus of John Lennon’s anthem to peace and hope, Imagine.
Cristoforetti urged earthlings to support #IMAGINE by downloading the Touchcast app on imagine.unicef.org; singing #IMAGINE with John Lennon and uploading their video for UNICEF to help children around the world.
“With #IMAGINE, every voice counts, every child counts – join UNICEF in making a better world for children,” she said from the International Space Station, powering 250 miles above Earth at over 17,000mph. “I imagine a better world in which all children can get an education and aspire to build for themselves the future they imagine.”
Launched on 20 November at the United Nations General Assembly in New York with Yoko Ono and a star-studded cast of supporters, including Hugh Jackman and Björn Ulvaeus from ABBA, #IMAGINE uses a specially created interactive digital experience to allow people all over the world to record their own version of Imagine, and also record personal messages describing what they imagine a better world for children would be like.
The World Version – has been produced in collaboration with renowned DJ and music producer David Guetta and will be released at New Year’s Eve celebrations across the globe, including Cape Town, London and Rio and as well as on social media platforms including YouTube and Facebook. It will feature famous voices including Katy Perry, Angelique Kidjo, Neymar, Daniela Mercury, Thalia, Priyanka Chopra, Yuna Kim, Adam Lambert, Will.i.am, Nicole Scherzinger, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-MOON alongside voices from ordinary people who uploaded their own versions, including a chorus of hearing impaired students in Namibia signing the song and many other contributions from all over the world.
Samantha Cristoforetti arrived at the International Space Station on 24 November for a six month mission. Her participation in this project has been made possible thanks to European Space Agency, Italian Space Agency and the Italian Air Force.
UNICEF – UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere. For more information about UNICEF and its work visit: www.unicef.org
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ESA
The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world. ESA is an international organisation with 20 Member States, Italy included.
Samantha Cristoforetti’s biography
Born in Milan, Italy, on 26 April 1977, Samantha Cristoforetti completed her secondary education in Trento, Italy, in 1996 after having spent a year as an exchange student in the United States. She joined the ESA in September 2009 and completed basic astronaut training in November 2010. In July 2012 she was assigned to an Italian Space Agency ASI mission aboard the International Space Station. She was launched on a Soyuz spacecraft from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on 23 November 2014 on the second longest ASI mission and the eighth longest mission for an ESA astronaut. She enjoys interacting with space enthusiasts on Twitter as @AstroSamantha.
