MINSK, 19 March (BelTA) - A Belarusian-Italian agreement on humanitarian cooperation was signed by Director of the Department of Humanitarian Affairs of the Belarus President Property Management Department Valery Skakun and President of the Fondazione Aiutiamoli a Vivere O.N.G. Fabrizio Pacifici, BelTA has learned.
The agreement aims to develop the institutions for health improvement of children from areas affected by the Chernobyl accident.
The Italian charity foundation intends to participate in the financing of humanitarian projects, including the reconstruction of the building of the Planeta children's health camp in the Italian architectural style, and development of health recuperation programs in Belarus.
“Since 1989 considerable efforts have been made to involve international organizations, foreign governments, companies, and non-governmental organizations in the national activities to mitigate the Chernobyl impact. Italy was one of the first countries to offer assistance to Belarus in solving problems related to the the catastrophe at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. The humanitarian cooperation has never interrupted. Since 1990 about 210,000 Belarusian children have undergone rehabilitation in Italy,” Valery Skakun said.
He noted that for more than 20 years Italy has consistently ranked first in terms of hosting Belarusian children for recuperation. Humanitarian cooperation is the solid foundation for the development of relations between Belarus and Italy in other areas.
