21CF and National Geographic Channel Celebrate International Women's Day by Encouraging Viewers to Stand #withMalala

On February 18, 21st Century Fox and the National Geographic Channel launched a new social media campaign to drive support and awareness for girls' education. The initiative extends through March 10, giving viewers the chance to celebrate this year's International Women's Day by taking part in the campaign and contributing to the education of the more than 60 million young women who are out of school around the world. In celebration of National Geographic Channel's global broadcast premiere of "He Named Me Malala" on February 29, the campaign asks viewers to tweet with the hashtag #withMalala or change their Facebook profile to a special campaign video. For every post, 21CF will donate $1 to the Malala Fund, a nonprofit that empowers girls globally through education, for a total of up to $50,000.

Stand #withMalala

The campaign engages viewers through Facebook and Twitter, unlocking a charitable donation from 21CF to the Malala Fund, a global organization that invests in girls' education and amplifies the voices of adolescent girls. Users can create custom Facebook profiles that transform their profile pictures into yearbook photos, which adds an animation that dissolves female users' photos from the page. This visual metaphor represents the girls who are out of school worldwide and inspires people to learn more about Malala's mission. For every person who participates, 21CF will donate $1 to the Malala Fund up to $50,000.

National Geographic will also run a concurrent campaign on Twitter, with 21CF donating $1 for every tweet that includes the #withMalala hashtag between launch and March 10. National Geographic has also designed an online education hub that offers curriculum ideas for parents and teachers to discuss Malala's mission and the importance of girls' right to education worldwide, equipping educators with the necessary tools to bring Malala's powerful message to students.

"This is a film that leaves you not only feeling incredibly inspired but truly wanting to make a difference," said National Geographic Channels CEO Courteney Monroe. "As leaders in bringing stories of global importance to the largest audience possible, it is more than just an honor to be part of this project, I feel it is our duty. That is why we are joining this project as true partners, dedicating our collective resources to bring Malala's important journey and advocacy for girls' education to millions of people worldwide."

Telling a global story

"He Named Me Malala" follows the life of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai, a young girl from Pakistan whom the Taliban attacked and nearly killed in 2012 for speaking out for the rights of women and girls to get an education. Since then, Malala has become one of the foremost advocates for education.

"This film tells the story of one girl, but I am one of many," Malala said. "There are millions of girls denied their right to education. Let us raise our voices, stand with girls, stand up for their rights and ensure every one of them gets the chance to learn. Education is the key to peace and a better future for all."

Through the Malala Fund, she now supports local organizations focused on ensuring a quality secondary education for girls in the most vulnerable communities, with grants currently going to programs in Pakistan, Nigeria, Kenya, Sierra Leone, and countries housing Syrian refugees (Lebanon and Jordan).

"The theme of the movie is how an ordinary person can find their voice and how powerful you can be if you express that," Guggenheim told The Hollywood Reporter. "Girls respond to this movie and connect to this idea that speaking up is a vital part of their lives. ... Girls all over the world confront [the same issue], which is, do they feel equal? Do they feel strong enough to speak out?"

Since its theatrical release last fall, businesses across 21CF have worked to share the remarkable story of "He Named Me Malala" with as many people as possible. The company partnered with the LA Fund for Public Education to host a special screening for an audience of nearly 7,000 public high school girls from the Los Angeles area, in lieu of a traditional premiere.

In addition, film partner Participant Media's Students Stand with Malala campaign hosted a free screening series for students around the world, sharing Malala's message with more than 100,000 students in the U.S., as well as another 50,000 students internationally. Participant also partnered with Fox Home Entertainment to provide complimentary DVDs to more than 20,000 educators across the country, along with curricula and discussion guides.

On February 29, National Geographic Channel hosted the film's global television premiere, broadcasting it commercial free in the U.S. and rolling it out to 171 countries across 45 languages over the following week.

"Malala's story is not just about girls and education -- but also about culture and exploration, determination and passion," wrote Gary Knell, President and CEO of the National Geographic Society, in an essay for Medium. "At National Geographic, we are committed to explore and engage globally, but we are also dedicated to educating the next generation and telling stories of courage and wonder. I am proud that we are using our growing platform to ignite dialogue and provide the tools that lead to meaningful impact."

To learn more about the Malala Fund and how to support their work, visit Malala.org.