Paris, April 9 (No.2001-56) - A humanitarian convoy led by French students and sponsored by UNESCO is on its way to areas affected by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in Belarus to mark the 15th anniversary of the catastrophe on April 26.

The convoy, carrying medical, computer and educational material to hospitals, orphanages and schools, set off on its three-day trip from UNESCO Headquarters on Saturday after a ceremony attended by UNESCO's Assistant Director-General for Science, Walter Erdelen, and the Permanent Delegate of Belarus to UNESCO, Vladimir Senko, who also serves as Ambassador to France.

Mr Erdelen recalled that 70 percent of the radioactive fallout from the disaster at the Ukrainian nuclear power station had fallen into Belarus. He said: “In the contaminated areas, people are still living in very damaged social and environmental conditions.” Mr Ardelen underlined that “UNESCO was the first United Nations body to work to alleviate the consequences of Chernobyl”. He hailed the action of the students “who would have only been around 10 years old at the time of the catastrophe” and said the convoy was an example of “establishing a culture of solidarity.”

Mr Senko thanked the students for their “courageous action” and added: “My country suffered more than others from the disaster. Today, 20 percent of the national budget is dedicated to fighting the effects of Chernobyl. Fifteen years after the disaster, the problems remain and will continue in years to come.”

The President of the humanitarian association Mission Humanitaire Inter Grandes Ecoles (MHIGE), Béatrice Savornin, said at the ceremony that the trip had a dual purpose as the students would be meeting up with students from Belarus who visited France last year.

Around 20 vehicles of the convoy left UNESCO on Saturday and were to be joined en route by a 38-tonne truck and another 20 vehicles. The convoy has been organized by MHIGE and it is the second year running that the French students have sent a mission to Belarus.

The French student association MHIGE was created in 1988 to ship humanitarian supplies directly to Eastern Europe, particularly to orphanages, hospitals, schools and universities. The students themselves assemble both the supplies and hire or borrow the vehicles. MHIGE, a federation of 18 associations based in some of France's most prestigious universities, engineering and business schools, also seeks to develop cultural exchanges. In recent years, it has sent several convoys to other countries, among them Poland, Romania and Ukraine.

The Chernobyl disaster and its aftermath will be the subject of an exhibition at UNESCO Headquarters. From April 17 to 27, the exhibition, organized by the permanent delegations of Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine, will feature photographs and paintings on the theme “Chernobyl - 15 years of Tragedy”.

Since Chernobyl, UNESCO has contributed to the establishment of 10 psychological and social rehabilitation centres targeting populations hit by the 1986 catastrophe in Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine.

****