Disney today kicked off the first ever World Princess Week, aimed at inspiring small acts of kindness around the globe, with a pledge to deliver 45,000 ‘Moments that Matter’ for isolated and seriously ill children in hospital and hospices in the UK, Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Supporting the initiative as part of Disney’s ‘Ultimate Princess Celebration’, which champions the qualities of courage and kindness, are pop star and The Voice coach Anne-Marie and Olympian athlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson. To encourage her fans to get involved, Anne Marie will host an intimate acoustic performance of her chart hits ‘2002’ and ‘Beautiful’. The performance is being screened to children in hospital, via Disney’s charity partner MediCinema, which build and run cinemas in NHS hospitals. The content will also be available to view on Disney Junior’s UK YouTube channel.

Katarina Johnson-Thompson will take part in a story reading, which will see her read Moana’s tale from Tales of Courage and Kindness – an online story collection featuring 14 brand new Disney Princess stories, which launched in April this year and is available for children to download for free during World Princess Week at Disneyprincessstories.co.uk. Katarina’s reading will be available for fans to enjoy later this year.

As part of ‘World Princess Week’ (23-29 August), Disney has created brand new video tutorials featuring simple ideas on how families and children can have a big impact on others, which will be available on Disney’s social channels. Disney fans will be able to follow along with ‘kindness activity’ tutorials, including how to make Cinderella-inspired kindness cards for friends, or how to bake Tiana’s beignets for loved ones. Families are encouraged to share their own acts of kindness by using the hashtag #UltimatePrincessCelebration.

Disney will also share brand new Princess stories, experiences and fun ways to spread kindness following research that reveals nine in ten UK adults believe small acts of kindness have the power to change the world for the better.

45,000 Princess-themed adventure packs will be delivered to seriously ill children in hospitals and places of care across the UK, Europe, Middle East and Africa, as part of Disney’s wider commitment to bring comfort and provide inspiration, with support from long standing charity partners.

These specially designed packs, created with charity partner MediCinema, aim to reduce isolation, stress and anxiety amongst children and families in places of care, providing ‘Moments that Matter’. The packs will contain new stories focusing on Disney Princess characters Rapunzel, Moana and Ariel, as well as arts and crafts activities that help to increase confidence and encourage acts of kindness.

New research conducted by Disney as part of the Ultimate Princess Celebration revealed that 70 per cent of children say it’s important to always show kindness and almost half (46 per cent) would stand up for people who are being bullied or are being treated in an unfair way. The survey highlights some of the top ways children like to show kindness, including:

1. Kind acts to make their family or friends happy e.g. baking a cake (49 per cent)

2. Asking parents to read a book with them (49 per cent)

3. Comforting family members and friends when they are upset (47 per cent)

4. Asking parents to spend time with them e.g. watching a movie or making dinner together (47 per cent)

5. Making time to play and catch up with friends (46 per cent)

6. Sharing stories with friends and family (44 per cent)

7. Helping friends with problems they are facing (37 per cent)

8. Listening when parents or friends are telling them a story that they know is important to them (36 per cent)

9. Offering to do chores around the house for parents (33 per cent)

10. Speaking to friends and family regularly (30 per cent)

The study suggests that the majority of British parents – 91 per cent – agree that everyone can play a role in making the world a kinder place, with the research also revealing some of the kind acts kids have shown over the past year:

1. Been caring towards friends (56 per cent)

2. Wanting to spend more time with parents / family members (53 per cent)

3. Drawn and made signs for the health service to say ‘thank you’ (50 per cent)

4. Video calling friends to check in (47 per cent)

5. Offering to help around the house (45 per cent)

6. Been caring towards the planet (42 per cent)

7. Sharing stories or reading books together (40 per cent)

8. Being kinder to their brother or sister (39 per cent)

9. Donating some of their toys to other kids (37 per cent)

10. Been looking after their pet / been kind to animals (37 per cent)

Tasia Filippatos, Senior VP, Consumer Products EMEA at Disney said, “Courage and kindness are universally important qualities that are just as relevant for adults as they are for young children. We hope that families will help celebrate ‘World Princess Week’ by sharing their own small acts of kindness to help make the world a kinder place.”

Disney fans will also be able to shop brand new Disney Princess product ranges, including toys, dress up apparel, accessories and homeware, available from shopDisney.co.uk and other major retailers.

– Ends –

Notes to Editors

About Research

Independent research company Fly Research questioned 5,000 adults across 5 countries in March 2021.

Disney’s Social Purpose

As well as being a responsible business, Disney is dedicated to providing comfort and inspiration to those in need and creating inspiration and opportunity for those who want to improve their world. Disney’s long-standing partnership with MediCinema is an example of how, through working with others, we help build emotional resilience. Together we bring the power of our brand, stories and characters to inspire and create Moments that Matter for children and those closest to them when they need it the most. In 2020, we created over 39,000 life-changing moments across Europe. For more information on our programmes and our long-standing charitable partners please visit www.thewaltdisneycompany.eu

About MediCinema

MediCinema is a charity that improves the wellbeing and quality of life of NHS patients and their families through the power of the shared cinema experience and the magic of film. It builds and runs cinemas in hospitals equipped with space for beds, wheelchairs, and medical equipment. Its services help to improve emotional, mental, and physical health, reducing feelings of isolation, anxiety, and stress, and increasing patient resilience. Since MediCinema was founded in 1999 it has given nearly 230,000 experiences to patients, their families, carers and those closest to them.

About Disney Consumer Products, Games and Publishing

Disney Consumer Products, Games and Publishing (CPGP) brings the magic of The Walt Disney Company’s brands and franchises—including Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and more—into the daily lives of families and fans around the world through products and experiences across more than 100 retail categories from toys and t-shirts to apps, books, video games, and more. A division of the Disney Parks, Experiences and Products segment, CPGP’s global operations include: the world’s largest licensing business, one of the biggest children’s publishing brands, a leading licensor of interactive games across platforms, and the shopDisney e-commerce platform.

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