MFA photos
MINSK, 14 January (BelTA) - Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxim Ryzhenkov, accompanied by his spouse, visited the Minsk city social care home Harmony for a joint charity event organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the diplomatic corps accredited in Belarus, BelTA learned from the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
This charitable initiative is a continuation of the Belarusian president’s initiative to conduct the nationwide charity campaign From Heart to Heart campaign for elderly citizens across the country.
"As the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, together with our friends and partners from other countries, we are doing our utmost to ensure that the residents of the care home feel almost as if they are at home, to create a festive atmosphere during the New Year's holidays. Probably they have no one else to wish them a Happy New Year and to deliver gifts from Grandfather Frost. So, we, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, are acting as the Grandfather Frost of sorts,” Maxim Ryzhenkov said. “We are together with these people, we are by their side, and we are very proud and happy for their achievements. And the achievements here come through social adaptation. The major, primary achievement is the continuation of life itself. We are happy to make our contribution, however modest it may be."
“Every year, we come here with our big hearts, the hearts of Belarusians. In many Western countries, such things are not only unseen but perhaps not even contemplated. As our president says, we have no people living outside of society, unknown to the state or to their neighbors, and left without help in life. This is a vivid example of the solidarity of the Belarusian people, as we strive to help all those in need. In reality, the state does a great deal to ensure that people living alone or those in difficult life situations do not feel disadvantaged and have the opportunity to live and integrate into society,” the minister said.
The minister of foreign affairs talked to the residents of the care home and learned more about their daily activities and living conditions.
The event saw participation from diplomatic missions of Azerbaijan, the Vatican, the United Kingdom, Venezuela, Vietnam, Germany, Georgia, Italy, Kazakhstan, Qatar, China, Kyrgyzstan, the Order of Malta, Pakistan, Palestine, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Syria, Slovakia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, the Trade Representation of the Russian Federation, and also offices of the UNDP and UNHCR, the CIS Executive Committee, and the EAEU Court.
In total, the initiative involved 24 embassies, 1 trade mission, 4 offices of international organizations, 7 honorary consuls, and 18 media outlets. Approximately 200 boxes and packages of various formats and sizes were collected. The wish list for gifts was compiled by the care home’s administration.
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