Support for adoption awareness grows: More ambassadors for National Adoption Awareness Week 2010
**MEDIA RELEASE**
Support for adoption awareness grows: More ambassadors for National Adoption Awareness Week 2010
Film, television and sporting personalities have added their support to National Adoption Awareness Week (NAAW) to encourage people to understand the need for an easier, more transparent and open process for adoption in Australia.
Proud supporters of NAAW include its founding patron and actress Deborra-lee Furness; world surfing champion Layne Beachley; T.V. personality from Talk to the Animals Sallianne Deckert; Founder and CEO of Worldwide Orphans Foundation Dr Jane Aronson; and Elmo from Sesame Street.
The latest person to lend their support is Jack Thompson, one of Australia’s most loved and respected actors.
“As an adoptee myself it makes sense for me to be involved” commented Jack.
“I had a wonderful adoptive family and a very positive experience of adoption, but when you hear that there are millions of children in the world that are in need of a family and understand that Australia has one of the lowest rates of adoption in the world, you realise that we all need to work together to bring about change.”
Layne Beachley commented “I am excited to be an ambassador for National Adoption Awareness Week as I see it providing an opportunity for people to explore and understand that adoption is a great way to form a family.“
Sallianne Deckert “As the mother of an adopted daughter from Ethiopia and having waited five years so far to adopt our second child, I am passionate about shining a light on the issues surrounding adoption in Australia.
“Being able to give a child a loving permanent home and to welcome them in to your family is a precious gift, but the process and time involved is heart-breaking and the awareness of children in need is soul destroying.
“We need to work smarter and faster to unite these children with families.”
Dr Jane Aronson “Every child is precious and has a right to grow up in a loving, permanent family where they can live their lives with dignity.
“Adoption ensures permanency for orphaned children, and the observation of National Adoption Awareness Week (NAAW) is a wonderful opportunity to express pride in adoption as a way to create a family.”
Deborra-lee Furness, Patron of NAAW commented “Every year the adoption community is continuing to unite all over Australia to share this week to tell their stories, celebrate their kids, assist families who need support and to ask our politicians to step up and make children a priority.
“This year we have also been supported by Elmo from Sesame Street who has agreed to be a mascot for Adoption Awareness Week!
“Our kids will love to see their hero talk about their adoption and make it easy for them to explain to their friends what adoption is all about.“
Deborra-lee and Elmo have created a community service announcement that has been distributed to all television networks in Australia. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCuenoAX5oo
‘We thank all our supporters and sponsors for helping us spread the message about adoption in Australia,’ commented Paul Harapin, Chairman of NAAW.
‘There are approximately 15 million orphaned and abandoned children worldwide but only 400 adoptions a year take place in Australia compared to 140,000 in the United States.
‘We believe that every child deserves a family and we try to encourage more tolerance and empathy to those affected’ commented Mr Harapin.
‘We ask people to join us in creating awareness about the need for an easier, more transparent and open process for adoption in Australia.’
Further information about activities that people can support or get involved in can be found on the NAAW website – www.adoptionawarenessweek.com.au.
For further information:
Fiona Tigar, Media and Public Relations volunteer, NAAW, Tel: 0421 610624
