Beslan one year on: UNICEF Calls On Adults to Shield Children from Conflict
The people of Beslan have rallied behind their children. And those children are reaching out to each other across religious and ethnic divides. “This community – scarred though it is – is charting a course to recovery,” said UNICEF Regional Director for Central and “Today, we join the families of Beslan to honour those who died in the siege of School No. 1,” said Calivis. “During those three days in September 2004, the sanctity of childhood itself came under attack. It plumbed the depths of inhumanity.” The attack on School No. 1 and the tragic events that followed were part of a rising tide of violence against children. In other parts of the North Caucasus, in “It is time to take stock,” said Calivis. “We are not doing enough for our children. We can do more.”
UNICEF in the Long before the Beslan tragedy, UNICEF was running a humanitarian programme covering the UNICEF provided educational supplies to the six remaining schools so that they could accommodate the overflow of children from School Number One. While the immediate physical needs of the children have been met, the psychological aftershocks remain. Every child in Beslan was affected in some way and UNICEF is still supporting teams of counselors in schools and in the community to help children and families rebuild their lives. Looking to the future, UNICEF has initiated a Peace Education and Tolerance programme for children and adolescents across North Ossetia, For more information: Angela Hawke, Communication Officer, UNICEF Regional Office for CEE/CIS, tel (+4122) 909 5433, cell (+4179) 601 9917. email: ahawke@unicef.org
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