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23 May 2008 17:48

Ukraine 3000 Foundation Awards Winners of Doing Good Starts with You Program

May 23, 2008, the Ukraine 3000 International Charitable Foundation held the Doing Good Starts with You international conference. Among the participants of the event, hosted by the Kyiv City Children’s Art Academy, were Head of the Supervisory Board of the Ukraine 3000 International Charitable Foundation Kateryna Yushchenko, Minister of Ukraine for Family, Youthm and Sports Yuri Pavlenko, President of the Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine Vasyl Kremin, heads of Ukrainian colleges and schools, representatives of the authorities and business, charitable and public organizations, and educational institutions from throughout Ukraine.

The topic of the conference was forming an efficient mechanism to revive the traditions of charity and stimulate children’s charitable initiatives. The conference started with a plenary session, with speeches delivered by school principals, chief managers and participants of the Doing Good Starts with You program. After that, six thematic sections were held, featuring charitable projects presentations, exchanging experience in their implementation, and discussing the results of the Doing Good Starts with You program. The results of the contest were announced and the winners awarded at the second part of the plenary session.

“Launching the Doing Good Starts with You program last September, we realized how timely and important it was for the Ukrainian society,” Mrs. Yushchenko said in her speech. “We are certain that charity is one of the major elements in children’s upbringing. The need to help others, respect for one’s elders, responsibility for one’s community, conscious attitude toward the environment become a part of a child’s personality, if you instill them from her early years.”

Mrs. Kateryna gave a brief analysis of several charitable projects presented for the contest, emphasizing the great number of interesting ideas offered by the authors.

Mrs. Yushchenko called upon all present, especially children, to take part in charitable projects. “Even if you think you are still children, you are full-fledged members of the global community,” she said. “Helping others can give you confidence and make you believe in your abilities and be aware that your effort really matters.”
 
Among other speakers were Yuri Pavlenko, Vasyl Kremin, President of the Friends of the Children Fund Maryna Krysa, heads of charitable projects, representatives of educational institutions, other participants, and guests of the conference.

After that, the awards ceremony of the Doing Good Starts with You charitable projects competition took place.

The first place and a money prize of UAH 6,000 were awarded to the Antratsyt Secondary School No. 4 (Luhansk oblast), for two charitable projects: Reviving the Artificial Ecosystem of the Public Garden in Zavodska St. and Volunteers without Borders.

The second prize of UAH 4,000 went to the Secondary Economy and Law Magnet School No. 2, Irpin, Kyiv oblast, for the Live Energy project.

The third place and UAH 3,000 prize money was awarded to the Zhytomyr Special Boarding School for Deaf Children for the Help Those Who Need Help More Than You Do project.

Another 10 projects received incentive prizes of UAH 1,000.

The money certificates and diplomas were delivered to the winners by Head of the Supervisory Board of the Ukraine 3000 International Charitable Foundation Kateryna Yushchenko. Children who take part in the winning projects received from Mrs. Kateryna books as presents.

After the conference, students of the Kyiv City Children’s Art Academy gave a classical music concert for the guests and participants of the event.