ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

Global soap brand Lifebuoy brought together teachers, parents and children in a huge hand hygiene event held to mark Global HandWashing Day recently.

Lifebuoy billed the event as the world's largest virtual classroom where the importance of hand washing with soap was the main topic. And the brand is submitting this claim to Guinness World Records for verification.

Tens of thousands of people from more than 30 countries tuned in to the virtual classroom to learn about hand washing with soap. Leading the discussion were CNN anchor and broadcast journalist Rico Hizon; early childhood learning author Roberta Golinkoff, and actress and global hand washing advocate Kajol Devgan.

"While we have previously reached over one billion people with hand washing messages we know there is still much to be done," said global brand vice president for Lifebuoy Kartik Chandrasekhar.

"Amid a generation-defining pandemic, we are working towards equipping future generations with the unforgettable lesson of hand washing with soap to safeguard their health and well-being at the World's Largest Classroom."

Lifebuoy is now planning to launch a series of interactive games aimed at driving digital behaviour change. It has also published a hygiene-focused alphabet book.

"H for Hand washing" invites children to explore the alphabet with a character called Azzy the horse. It is intended to support school curriculums in countries worldwide where the Latin alphabet is used.

Lifebuoy co-founded Global Handwashing Day with the Global Handwashing Partnership in 2008.

globalhandwashing.org/global-handwashing-day