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Third International Forum of Environmental NGOs
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20(246) 18.05.2004 On 11-12 May 2004 the city Bryansk (the Russian Federation) hosted the Third International Forum of Environmental NGOs from Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. The ways of engaging local communities of the three countries in the development and implementation of the Strategic Action Program and the National Action Plans on the ecological implementation of the Dnieper river basin topped the agenda of the Forum. The Forum brought together representatives of 30 NGOs from the Dnieper countries and experts.
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Belarus Becomes Member of UN Commission for Sustainable Development
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19(245) 11.05.2004 Elections to the subsidiary bodies of the UN Economic and Social Council were held on May 4 in the UN Headquarters in New-York. 14 new members of the UN Human Rights Commission were elected for three years up to the 1st January 2005. Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine became members of the Executive Board of the United Nations Development Program. Sergey Martynov, a representative of the Republic of Belarus was elected to the UN Commission on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
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International team of surgeons to perform 25 heart operations
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18(244) 04.05.2004 The surgeons, participants of the "Children's heart" project will operate disabled children from all over the country, said the doctor of the Belarusian children's fund Irina Cherniakova. This organization has been patronizing the "Children heart" project in Belarus since 1996. Some 13 foreign cardio surgeons will arrive in Minsk and will work in the Belarusian republican center "Kardiologia". This is the 5th time when foreign specialists come to Belarus. So far 90 heart operations have been performed. The "Minsk rotary club", representation of the "Pfizer" corporation in Belarus, representation of the Irish charitable organization "Chernobyl children's project" and the international charitable organization "Sofia" render financial and organization assistance.
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Campaign "Sport and Pop Stars Against AIDS" Launched in Belarus
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18(244) 04.05.2004 The campaign "Sport and Pop Stars Against AIDS" has been launched in Belarus. The campaign is organized by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) jointly with the Belarusian tennis player Maksim Mirny, UN Goodwill Ambassador on HIV/AIDS in 2003-2004. The campaign opening press conference was held on 28 April in the National Press Center. According to Anna Chernyshova, UNDP Projects Coordinator, the main purpose of the intended events is to raise attention of the general public and the government authorities to the HIV/AIDS problem.
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Tax Inspector Imposes Travel Ban on "Suspect" NGO Leader
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18(244) 04.05.2004 The State Monitoring Committee's Financial Investigation Department has imposed a foreign travel ban on Tatiana Protko chairwoman of the Belarusian Helsinski Committee (BHK), a prominent NGO in Belarus. Tax inspectors claim the BHK owes them more than 380 million rubles ($176,000) in unpaid taxes and penalties in connection with aid received under the European Union's Technical Assistance to CIS Countries (TACIS) program in 2002 and 2003.
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UN Wants to End Confusion about Chernobyl
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19(245) 11.05.2004 The United Nations nuclear agency wants to put an end to the confusion for millions of victims of the Chernobyl accident. Over the years, wildly varying reports have put the Chernobyl death toll as high as 15000. For this reason, the IAEA has established the Chernobyl forum, which will bring together Ukraine, Russia and Belarus, the IAEA and all other U.N. Organizations involved in Chernobyl. It will review all the studies and statements on Chernobyl, filter out the good, throw out the bad and present a clear summary to next year's U.N. General Assembly.
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Trade unions become one of most powerful bases of society, President says
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18(244) 04.05.2004 Trade unions are becoming one of most powerful bases of the Belarusian society along with local councils, youth, women's and veterans' organizations, president of Belarus stated at a solemn meeting dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the trade union movement in Belarus. The head of the state noted that trade unions have managed to overcome negative tendencies in their activity and have come to their 100th jubilee as a solidary organization. Alexander Lukashenko underlined he will continue supporting trade unions. Trade union organizations work closely with the government and other managerial structures to create normal living and working conditions for people.
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Youth Economic and Business Festival Held in Minsk
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19(245) 11.05.2004 The 11th Open Economic and Business Festival "Way to Success" was held in Minsk from April 21 to 23. The festival was organized by the Minsk State Palace for Children and Youth and the NGO "Youth Economy Support and Development Center" (NGO YESDC). The purpose of the festival is to promote economic and business education among young people. The winners were the teams of the secondary school ¹51 (Minsk), the secondary school ¹38 (Gomel) and the secondary school ¹99 (Minsk). The winners were awarded with the diplomas and gifts from the UN Office in Belarus and the Education Department.
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Turning Remembrance into Action
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20(246) 18.05.2004 On May 14, 2004 the concert "Lighting the candles" marking the International Day of Commemorating AIDS Victims was organized in the "Babylon" Night Club within the framework of the UNDP Project "HIV and vulnerable groups" which is implemented by the YOUTH NGO "Vstrecha" and the Belarusian Association of UNESCO Clubs. This year the worldwide actions were held under the common slogan "Turning Remembrance into Action".
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