PR94547

BILLUND, Denmark, Feb. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

The LEGO Foundation has announced a USD 143 million global challenge to fund

impactful solutions focused on early childhood in what CEO, Anne-Birgitte

Albrectsen says will address a "global early childhood emergency".

The Build A World of Play Challenge will enable any organisations who can make

a positive impact on the youngest children globally, to bid. The amount,

equivalent to 900 million Danish Kroner, reaffirms the LEGO Foundation's

commitment in the LEGO(R) brand's 90th year to ensure children globally are given

opportunities to learn through play, helping children everywhere develop

holistic skills  and reach their full potential.

Grants will be awarded to those exploring evidence-based innovative solutions

to the biggest problems of today such as access to quality early childhood

education and care, adequate nutrition, eradication of toxic stress and

violence in homes and communities, protection from pollution, and supporting

the social and emotional well-being of the whole family.

"All children have the right to feel safe and have access to quality education

and healthcare. But to date, early childhood development has been not just

under recognised, but grossly underfunded," said Thomas Kirk Kristiansen, Chair

of the Board of Directors at The LEGO Foundation, and the fourth-generation

representative of the LEGO owner family. "Children are the builders of

tomorrow. If we do not invest in the youngest children in our society, we don't

invest in our collective future."

Anne-Birgitte Albrectsen, CEO of the LEGO Foundation said: "We are currently

facing the biggest global early childhood emergency that the world has ever

seen. The quality of experiences in the first few years of a child's life is

where brain development is in its most adaptive and rapidly developing state.

Through this challenge, we want to help urgently address the biggest challenges

societies globally face, with creative, actionable ideas that put children at

the centre of global decision making. The challenge is an opportunity to make a

real difference to the lives of the youngest children."

All entrants will need to complete an online application

[https://learningthroughplay.com/build-a-world-of-play/the-challenge ] .

Potential applicants must register by April 7, 2022. The deadline for

submissions is May 17, 2022.

The challenge is being managed by Lever for Change

[https://www.macfound.org/programs/lever-change/ ], a non-profit associate of

the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

More details on the Build a World of Play Challenge can be found here

[https://learningthroughplay.com/build-a-world-of-play/the-challenge ]

Source: The LEGO Foundation