Pen lovers in the UAE have a unique opportunity to contribute to the global fight against illiteracy.

Throughout the history of mankind, the writings of influential men and women have played a pivotal role in political, social and cultural change.

Montblanc, a well-known manufacturer of writing instruments, recently found an innovative way to use the power of the pen and the charisma of well-known personalities to help change the lives of millions of children around the world.

The German company launched a campaign titled ‘Sign Up for the Right to Write' to create awareness about the importance of literacy and to raise funds for a Unicef initiative to combat illiteracy around the world.

Thoughts on paper

The campaign was themed around the famous Montblanc Meisterstuck 149 fountain pen. Hence Montblanc invited 149 well-known personalities from around the world to pen their thoughts on the value and importance of writing. Mikhail Gorbachev, Sir Richard Branson, Luciano Pavarotti, Mark Spitz, Harry Belafonte, Ethan Hawke, Bianca Jagger and Vivienne Westwood were among the celebrities who lent their support to the project.

Their handwritten reflections along with the pens they used for writing them were sold at an international auction held in February. All proceeds from the auction were donated to the Unicef Initiative Against Illiteracy.

In addition, for each of the 149 statements, Montblanc donated $4,810 (Dh17 ,700) a number reflecting the height in metres of Mont Blanc — the mountain after which the 100-year-old company is named.

The campaign has already raised $846,678 (Dh3.1 million) for Unicef.

Montblanc continues to raise more funds through its Art For A Good Cause programme.

For this project, the company invited three well-known artists to design special packaging for the Montblanc Meisterstuck 149 pen.

Packaging artwork

American artist Tom Sachs, French interior designer Andre Putman and German architect Helmut Jahn have each developed innovative

packaging concepts that are artworks in their own right.

Limited editions of 4,810 Meisterstuck 149 pens presented in the special art packaging are now available worldwide.

Stylophiles have a unique opportunity to contribute to the global fight against illiteracy, as a part of the proceeds from the sale of these limited editions will also be donated to Unicef.

These collector's items are available at all Montblanc boutiques and Rivoli showrooms in the UAE.

Unicef initiative

Illiteracy affects everyone, not just those who cannot read and write. It is often the cause of many of the ills that plague society such as poverty, crime, poor health, hygiene and nutrition and unfair exploitation of people. Recent statistics indicate that 875 million people around the world are illiterate, with two thirds being women. One child out of every six children of school going age is denied an education resulting in over 121 million children being illiterate. The reasons range from poverty and lack of a school nearby to cultural norms that prevent girls from going to school.

Through the Initiative Against Illiteracy, Unicef aims to give all children access to good basic education by equipping village schools, training teachers and providing children with books, paper and pens. It also conducts special courses for working children taking their specific situation into account. In areas affected by wars or natural disasters Unicef provides ‘school in a box' kits containing materials for 80 primary school pupils.

Funds raised through the ‘Sign Up for the Right to Write' and ‘Art for a Good Cause' campaigns will help Unicef reach more children around the world and empower them for a brighter future by introducing them to the joy of reading and writing.

Celebrity notes

Catherine Deneuve:
"I love writing for the simple reason that I love words, symbols, language, the power of speech...It embodies a true power, a personal freedom, which nobody or thing can take away from you. It is essential that society should offer this greatest of pleasures to everybody."

Bianca Jagger:
"I like to write because I have spent my life trying to right the wrongs of the world."

Susan Sarandon:
"I like to write because I like the way it feels and when I look back at something I have written, there are clues that jog my memory. Does the writing flow freely or does it seem cramped and cautions? Do the sentences go uphill or down? Are they rushed or deliberate? And my signature affirmation that exists .…. and besides I never learned to type."

Christopher Lee:
"I like to write, because I can commit all my thoughts to paper, mainly for reference purposes and to remind myself about the important events in my life. Also, because I find today that people do not listen properly on the telephone or even in normal conversation… Basically it is a record of my life. One expresses oneself more clearly with the written word, which is permanent. I have also written an autobiography and some poetry."