Hamilton announced as UN education ambassador

In partnership with global movement #TOGETHERBAND and ethical accessories brand BOTTLETOP, Hamilton is seeking to use his own experiences overcoming struggles at school to inspire the next generation to harness their talents, and believes that global educational equality is fundamental to making this happen.

The announcement was made through a piece of video content shared to Hamilton’s social media channels on Tuesday, June 16, in which he stressed the importance of global education equality.

“Everyone, no matter where they’re from or the colour of their skin, should have access to a quality education. Shockingly there are still millions of children globally who don’t have access to schools and education. This needs to change,” said Lewis Hamilton.

Lewis’ passion for a fairer global education system is deep-felt, stemming from challenges he faced during his school career, including struggles resulting from his dyslexia. At the end of last year, as part of his work with #TOGETHERBAND, Lewis visited Alperton Community School in North-West London to speak to the students about the importance of education – calling it the, “Plan A, always.” During the Q&A session, Lewis reminded the students that some children across the globe don’t have access to school at all; “…there’s a lot of kids around the world, who don’t have the opportunities that you guys have.” When asked what it takes to become a champion, Lewis took the opportunity to encourage the students to seek out their own passion, saying; “A lot of hard work, I wanted to be great at something and I think we can all be great at something. When you find it, grab on to it, enjoy it and work your backsides off.” You can watch the short film of his visit created by Harvey Marcus here.

Lewis’ partnership with #TOGETHERBAND is a key step in his mission to promote education as a tool for children from different backgrounds to unlock a better future for themselves. For the past decade, Lewis has worked with a variety of charities and organisations supporting disadvantaged young people, and uses his platform to inspire the next generation to follow their dreams. Lewis is passionate about the need for more diversity within Formula 1 and advocates for equal opportunities within education, in particular STEM subjects, as a vital step in making this happen. In 2019, Lewis was awarded an Honorary Fellowship from the Royal College of Engineering in recognition of him breaking down barriers by demonstrating that those from non-traditional upbringings can succeed at the highest level.