B92 Fund’s Battle for Babies final event held

All donors who took part in B92 Fund’s Battle for Babies campaign received recognition at the Serbian parliament on Thursday. The campaign raised funds for the purchase of 160 new baby incubators. B92 Fund’s Battle for Babies final event held Babies who took part in the campaign, donors, Serbian parliament Speaker Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic, Serbian President Boris Tadic, Health Minister Zoran Stankovic and public figures such as singer Severina Vuckovic were present at the ceremony. The babies who took part in promotion of the campaign and the biggest donors received decorations. Thanks to the Battle for Babies campaign, more than 160 new baby incubators have been bought, which represents three fourths of the total number of necessary incubators in Serbia. The funds were donated by more than 80 companies, 500 individuals and about 170 small companies, kindergartens, schools, stores, citizens’ associations, faculties and sports clubs. The biggest individual donor is businessman and singer Severina Vuckovic’s husband Milan Popovic who enabled purchase of ten incubators by donating EUR 100,000. When it comes to companies, the biggest donors are Matijevic Meat Industry, Victoria Group, Yura Corporation etc. The incubators were donated to 40 health institutions across Serbia. Djukic-Dejanovic stressed that results of the recent census showed that Serbia had 380,000 fewer citizens than at the previous census, adding that increase in the birthrate was one of the biggest priorities of the Serbian society. “With such campaigns we need to celebrate not only champions like Novak Djokovic, Mathematical Gymnasium students, athletes, but we need to celebrate at least 380,000 champions in diapers, that's a job for all of us, that's the way to create Serbia's status,“ she stressed. The speaker also expressed expectation that prematurely born babies would, after successfully overcoming their first life obstacle, become MPs and be better than their parents. B92 Fund President Veran Matic pointed out that the Battle for Babies campaign was the best campaign that the Fund had ever launched because it solved the longtime issue and created a national consensus for solving of one of the burning social problems. He noted that life had not been respected for decades in Serbia and that there had been no room for compassion despite celebration of national interests. “Without support for the lives of the babies there is no support to the elderly, who are often powerless themselves, or other citizens of the country. We are obligated to celebrate life and empathy regardless of all differences that separate us, because this is the only way we can survive as a society,” Matic pointed out. The health minister expressed satisfaction over the fact that European standards in the field of neonatology would be met thanks to the campaign and the fact that the youngest patients would receive the best possible treatment. Tadic was also one of the sponsors of the Battle for Babies campaign. He closed the final event of the Battle for Babies project by saying that the humanitarian activities that boosted birthrate were of crucial importance for the society. "I am honored to sponsor this project, because our country faces no challenge more destructive than the lack of newborns," the president stated at the ceremony. "I wish to congratulate you on taking part in this project," Tadic remarked. The Battle for Babies campaign was launched on September 1 and was aimed at raising money for the purchase of more than 100 incubators needed in the health institutions across Serbia. The campaign has, however, exceeded the expectations by providing funds for the purchase of 160 new incubators. The Battle for Babies will now turn into a foundation that will provide help to health institutions across Serbia in their fight for the lives of prematurely born babies in the future. With this ceremony Serbia marked the World Prematurity Day for the first time. Boris Tadic (Tanjug)

B92 Fund’s Battle for Babies final event held

Babies who took part in the campaign, donors, Serbian parliament Speaker Slavica Đukić-Dejanović, Serbian President Boris Tadić, Health Minister Zoran Stanković and public figures such as singer Severina Vučković were present at the ceremony.

The babies who took part in promotion of the campaign and the biggest donors received decorations.

Thanks to the Battle for Babies campaign, more than 160 new baby incubators have been bought, which represents three fourths of the total number of necessary incubators in Serbia. The funds were donated by more than 80 companies, 500 individuals and about 170 small companies, kindergartens, schools, stores, citizens’ associations, faculties and sports clubs.

The biggest individual donor is businessman and singer Severina Vučković’s husband Milan Popović who enabled purchase of ten incubators by donating EUR 100,000. When it comes to companies, the biggest donors are Matijević Meat Industry, Victoria Group, Yura Corporation etc.

The incubators were donated to 40 health institutions across Serbia.

Đukić-Dejanović stressed that results of the recent census showed that Serbia had 380,000 fewer citizens than at the previous census, adding that increase in the birthrate was one of the biggest priorities of the Serbian society.

“With such campaigns we need to celebrate not only champions like Novak Đoković, Mathematical Gymnasium students, athletes, but we need to celebrate at least 380,000 champions in diapers, that's a job for all of us, that's the way to create Serbia's status,“ she stressed.

The speaker also expressed expectation that prematurely born babies would, after successfully overcoming their first life obstacle, become MPs and be better than their parents.

B92 Fund President Veran Matić pointed out that the Battle for Babies campaign was the best campaign that the Fund had ever launched because it solved the longtime issue and created a national consensus for solving of one of the burning social problems. He noted that life had not been respected for decades in Serbia and that there had been no room for compassion despite celebration of national interests.

“Without support for the lives of the babies there is no support to the elderly, who are often powerless themselves, or other citizens of the country. We are obligated to celebrate life and empathy regardless of all differences that separate us, because this is the only way we can survive as a society,” Matić pointed out.

The health minister expressed satisfaction over the fact that European standards in the field of neonatology would be met thanks to the campaign and the fact that the youngest patients would receive the best possible treatment.

Tadić was also one of the sponsors of the Battle for Babies campaign.

He closed the final event of the Battle for Babies project by saying that the humanitarian activities that boosted birthrate were of crucial importance for the society.

"I am honored to sponsor this project, because our country faces no challenge more destructive than the lack of newborns," the president stated at the ceremony.

"I wish to congratulate you on taking part in this project," Tadić remarked.

The Battle for Babies campaign was launched on September 1 and was aimed at raising money for the purchase of more than 100 incubators needed in the health institutions across Serbia. The campaign has, however, exceeded the expectations by providing funds for the purchase of 160 new incubators.

The Battle for Babies will now turn into a foundation that will provide help to health institutions across Serbia in their fight for the lives of prematurely born babies in the future.

With this ceremony Serbia marked the World Prematurity Day for the first time.