Chinese Airlines honored for raising US$5m for children
( 2002-06-21 08:37 ) (8 )

The United Nations Children 's Fund (UNICEF) has honored the Chinese Cathay Pacific airlines for raising nearly 5 million US dollars over the past decade by encouraging its passengers to donate their unused foreign currency to the UN agency, UN officials said Thursday.

At a ceremony in New York, the UN children's agency on Wednesday presented the Hong Kong-based airline with its " Leadership for Children" award, recognizing the company's efforts since joining the agency's "Change for Good" program in 1991.

Representatives of the company were on hand to turn over the company's latest donation of more than 673,000 dollars collected from passengers' leftover coins and bills.

The money helps UNICEF provide children throughout the world with basic social services, education and protection from violence and abuse, the officials said.