Video — UNICEF Spotlights the COVID Education Crisis: 168 Empty Desks For 168 Million Missing Students

This past March, just prior to the one-year anniversary of the school shutdowns that defined the spring of 2020, UNICEF unveiled a new installation on the grounds of the United Nations headquarters in New York City: “Pandemic Classroom,” comprised of 168 empty desks to symbolize the 168 million children living in regions around the globe where schools remained shuttered due to the public health crisis. (That dire number soars to 920 million children when you include students impacted by partial school closures). UN officials said the exhibit served as an urgent call to government leaders to “prioritize reopening schools and keep children learning.” This video offers an up-close view of the installation.