9th CRY Cadence Corporate Citizenship Challenge

9th CRY Cadence Corporate Citizenship Challenge

• Corporates played their part, giving Equal Education a sporting start
• The closing ceremony of the 9th CRY Cadence Corporate Citizenship Challenge (5Cs) on January 31,2009 felicitated the participants of the two day Olympiad which was held in New Delhi in December 2008.
• Hon'ble Chief Minister of Delhi, Smt. Sheila Dikshit, who has for long been supporting the campaign for the Right to Education for all children, was the Chief Guest. Prof. Shantha Sinha, Chairperson, National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights, Padmashri and Magsaysay awardee who has actively worked towards children's education, was the Guest of Honour.
• Education is seen as vital for a child's development. However even today 50% of children in the country don't go to school and 42% of primary schools have no buildings or lack basic infrastructure like toilets. Speaking on the occasion Ms. Pervin Varma, CRY Trustee emphasized the 'YOU' in Child Rights and YOU saying, "At CRY we work to mobilize citizens across the country, through innovative platforms, to demand that free and quality education be provided to every child in India. The challenges ahead will require that we, the citizens of India, start thinking of children, not as objects of sympathy but as citizens with the same rights that we consider our due."
• On the occasion Hon'ble Chief Minister of Delhi, Smt Sheila Dikshit said "A holistic approach is required to bring children into mainstream society. Education equips a person to develop one's full potential ensuring a life of dignity. It is through people's participation and action that w ecan bring about change".
• Also on the occasion Prof. Shantha Sinha, Chairperson for the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights believes that "To eradicate ills like child labour, it is imperative to ensure that each child is in school".
• This year, 5Cs crossed yet another boundary. While in previous years the sport was only cricket, this year the focus went beyond cricket to include multiple sports like Soccer, Table Tennis, Badminton, Mini Marathon and Basket Ball as in an Olympiad – renaming it the CRY Cadence Corporate Citizenship Challenge. This diversification was deliberately done to epitomize the multi-dimensional nature of child rights and emphasise the fact that all sections of society -- not just the development sector -- have a role to play in ensuring child rights.
• Mr. Jaswinder. S. Ahuja, Corporate Vice President and Managing Director of Cadence Design systems (I) Pvt. Ltd., reiterates the responsibility of the corporate sector as agents of change and believes, "Education helps open the window of opportunity for growth and development and provides a level playing field for all children. Each of us, from our own experience know that we are where we are because of the education we received". He also believes that, "Lack of education is a lack of fair opportunity, and that is at the root of most social issues. Everyone of us is impacted by this and as responsible citizens, each and every one of us should step forward and pledge to take ownership, working together to address this".
• Since the year 2000 CRY – Child Rights and You and Cadence Design Systems have partnered to combine sport and corporate citizenship in the form of 5Cs. What also makes 5Cs unique in the area of corporate NGO partnerships is that it is not just about handing over a cheque or merely playing on the sports field. But of corporates partnering and engaging with CRY, because they realize they can play a role not just in bettering the lives of children but also of creating awareness and sensitizing people to child rights in India.
• Anchoring the closing ceremony of the 9th 5Cs, was Ms. Gazalla Ameen, a well known media person with vast experience in the field of academics. The 12 participating teams that came together to focus on the crucial issue of Free and Quality Education for all Indian children were also present during the event. These included - Cadence, The Oberoi, FreeScale, Market Rx, OPTO Group, Radisson MBD, KPMG, The Royal Bank of Scotland Group, QA InfoTech, RockWell Automation, Polaris Software Lab Ltd., DSCL (DCM Shriram Consolidated Ltd.)
• Over the past eight years the CRY Cadence Corporate Cricket Challenge (as it was previously titled) has raised Rs.2.4 crores. The 9th CRY Cadence Corporate Citizenship Challenge(as it is re titled), alone raised close to Rs. 30 lakhs. The bulk will go to specific CRY projects that are powered by a common vision to remove the root causes that lead to deprivation, exploitation and abuse, thus ensuring all children, their basic rights to live, learn, grow and enjoy childhood.
• All this would not have been possible without the support of corporate organizations like Foundry Networks, Avocent India, Tyco Electronics, Polaris Software Lab Ltd., Ahluwalia Contracts (India) Ltd., QAI InfoTech, APARA, PCI Ltd., Orange Business Services, D-Link, Sun Microsystems, The Royal Bank of Scotland Group, CMC and The Oberoi.

• About CRY (Child Rights and You) : CRY – Child Rights and You earlier known as Child Relief and You – is India's leading advocate for child rights. For 30 years CRY has partnered with NGOs, communities, government, the media and is dedicated to mobilising all sections of society to eliminate the root causes of deprivation, exclusion, exploitation and abuse. For more information please visit us at www.cry.org. Editors Note: Child Rights and You was earlier known as Child Relief and You.

• About Cadence Design Systems : Cadence enables global electronic design innovation and plays an essential role in the creation of today's integrated circuits and electronics. Customers use Cadence software and hardware, methodologies, and services to design and verify advanced semiconductors, consumer electronics, networking and telecommunications equipment, and computer systems. The company is headquartered in San Jose, Calif., with sales offices, design centers, and research facilities around the world to serve the global electronics industry. More information about the company, its products, and services is available at www.cadence.com.