Students Worldwide Support CNN's #MyFreedomDay Initiative to Champion the "Freedom to Learn"

HONG KONG, March 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Celebrating its laudable ninth year, #MyFreedomDay, CNN's one-day, student-driven social media event to raise awareness of modern-day slavery, returns on March 11.

The launch of this year's #MyFreedomDay campaign focuses on the theme of "Freedom to Learn," which aims to raise awareness about the pressing issue of education access for children worldwide. As thousands of students prepare to participate in this year's initiative, #MyFreedomDay seeks to create empathy and understanding about the harsh realities facing over 12 million children globally trapped in modern slavery.

Recognizing that education is a fundamental right, students involved in #MyFreedomDay will engage in activities designed to connect with the struggles of their peers who are confined in situations where learning is impossible. This year's theme hopes to reinforce that through education, both the free and the oppressed can visualize a future where every child can learn, evolve, and break the cycle of exploitation.

This initiative empowers students across schools and communities to be advocates for education. With these series of events, conversations, and social media campaigns, the message of empathy and education equity will resonate and encourage participants to speak out for those unable to voice their aspirations for learning.

Students from more than 100 countries around the world have undertaken this year's challenge, through presentations, panel discussions, video messages, art exhibitions, public events, and so many other meaningful activities.

#MyFreedomDay coverage will commence at 6 am HKT on March 11^th in Hong Kong on CNN International, with correspondents contributing throughout the day from Hong Kong, Atlanta, London, and Sao Paulo among others.

CNN's #MyFreedomDay microsite CNN.com/MyFreedom will offer interactive content to bolster "Freedom to Learn" and serve as educational devices for students and larger audiences worldwide.

Leif Coorlim, executive editor of the CNN Freedom Project, shared "#MyFreedomDay's focus on the 'Freedom to Learn' theme reminds us that millions of children trapped in modern slavery are denied the basic right of an education. By engaging young people, we aim to foster empathy and an understanding that education is the most powerful tool we must use to break the cycles of vulnerability that lead to human trafficking. Join us in standing up for every child's hope to learn and live in freedom."

About The CNN Freedom Project
The CNN Freedom Project produces original reports, articles, and documentaries on human trafficking in all of its forms – from debt bondage in India to sex trafficking rings in Southern California and African slaves in the Sinai desert. Since its launch in 2011, the multi-award-winning CNN Freedom Project is among the most successful and highly visible programming initiatives on CNN International. It has generated more than 1,000 investigative stories of modern-day slavery from across six continents. Various NGOs report that these CNN Freedom Project stories have contributed to changing laws and corporate policies, led to more than 1,000 survivors receiving assistance and sparked more than $24 million in donations to anti-trafficking organizations. www.cnn.com/freedom

About CNN Worldwide
CNN Worldwide is the most honored brand in cable news, reaching more individuals on television and online than any other cable news organization in the United States. Globally, CNN International is the most widely distributed news channel. CNN Digital is the #1 online news destination, with more unique visitors and video viewers than any other news source. The award-winning portfolio of CNN includes non-scripted programming from CNN Original Series and documentary feature and short films for broadcast, streaming and distribution by CNN Films across multiple platforms. CNN programming can be found on CNN, CNN International, HLN and CNN en Español channels, on the CNN Originals hub on discovery+ on HBO Max and for pay TV subscription via CNN.com, CNN apps and cable operator platforms. Additionally, CNN Newsource is the world's most extensively utilized news service partnering with over 1,000 local and international news organizations around the world. CNN is a division of Warner Bros. Discovery.

SOURCE CNN International