New Year's Our Children charity campaign to kick off in Belarus on 15 December

The New Year's charity campaign Our Children will be running in Belarus from 15 December to 15 January, Deputy Head of the Department of Social, Educational and Ideological Work at the Education Ministry Yelena Simakova told reporters, BelTA reports.

The nationwide campaign will involve more than 20,000 children. Many events throughout the country will be held at the regional level. The purpose of the campaign is to support children who are in need of help and support. The organizers are trying to involve as many children as possible.

According to the plan, representatives or heads of the government bodies, more than 150 organizations and enterprises of the country are going to visit children's homes, hospitals, social institutions, shelters, healthcare facilities, children's rehabilitation centers to wish Happy New Year to children and give them gifts: usually sweet boxes but also equipment, gear, books, toys.

The charity campaign features a number of events. It will officially be launched with an event at the National Arts Center for Children and Youth for children from Minsk and other regions on 15 December. Significant events will be those with the participation of the head of state. In particular, the event in the Palace of the Republic will bring together 2,370 children from all over the country. Children living outside Belarus, but having Belarusian roots, will also be invited to take part in the events.

Festive events will also be held in the Palace of Independence. Various performances have been prepared for children left without parental care, foster families, family-type orphanages, and so on.

Traditionally, the New Year's charity event Our Children involves children left without parental care, disabled children, winners of national and regional competitions, Spartakiads, various kinds of events and also students and pupils who have excelled in studies, social work.

The partner of the campaign is the Belarusian Children's Fund. Leaflets with the information on how to transfer funds to the fund's account will be released soon. Enterprises and organizations of various forms of ownership, citizens will be able to join the nationwide campaign.