MEETING OF NGOs AGAINST AIDS

Belgrade, 20 November 2003 – Organized by the Foundation of HRH Crown Princess Katherine at The White Palace today, there was the twenty first coordinative meeting of the Commissariat for Refugees, international NGOs, UN agencies and organizations, local and international Red Cross.

On the occasion of 1 December, the World AlDS Day, the meeting was dedicated to this issue and programs for fight against this disease. The guest speakers were the South Eastern Europe regional coordinator of the Canadian Association for Health Protection, Mr. James Showen, the Head of the UN and WHO Mission Dr. Luigi Miglorini and the national representative of the UN program for fight against AIDS Dr.Ranko Petrovic.

The meeting discussed the fact that 2004 to 2006 budget of $2.3 million will be adopted for the most endangered groups in Serbia and Montenegro. In order to raise the awareness on this dangerous disease, a global TV campaign will be broadcasted on local TV stations in the period from 26 November to 20 December.

The Foundation of HRH Crown Princess Katherine for the third year appeals to raise awareness of our country internationally. It has developed new programs of connecting institutions and associates, which resulted in funding the National Presidency for AIDS by the UN, in the amount of $3 million.

“If you don’t ask for help, no one will help”, pointed out HRH Crown Princess Katherine and said that we should raise our voice in asking for help, as she had already said in the interview for the “New York Times”. “We should invest in peace, not in war” – pointed out the Crown Princess. Thanking for the support and effort of NGOs, HRH Crown Princess Katherine appealed for help to internally displaced persons and everybody who need help during the next winter.

The next meeting was scheduled for 11 December 2003 at 10:00 a.m.