On September 11, a Memorandum of Partnership and Cooperation was inked between the Ministry of Youth and Sport and the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS). Minister of Youth and Sport Ihor Zhdanov and acting President of the URCS Mykola Polishchuk.

According to Ihor Zhdanov, cooperation will be aimed at encouraging, the first and foremost, to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

"We are pleased to work with such a high-profile organization and through uniting our efforts to mobilize young people to adapt social reforms", the Minister said.

Mykola Polishchuk emphasized the importance of personal example for the maintaining of a healthy lifestyle. In particular, he drew attention to the prevention of smoking and the reduction of alcohol consumption.

"It's important to encourage young people go in for physical culture and sports, because this is health", said the President of the Red Cross Society of Ukraine.

Under the Memorandum, the Ministry and the Society shall make every effort to implement programs and activities among the young generation to promote their development. Including by involving volunteer, organizational, financial, material, intellectual resources of the parties.

It is also planned to hold conferences, seminars and other events on the development, advocacy and implementation of youth programs aimed at promoting and establishing a healthy lifestyle, culture of non-violence and peace, humanistic values, social cohesion.

It is planned to conduct informational and educational work on the prevention of morbidity among the youth.

Background

The Red Cross Society of Ukraine is a non-profit all-Ukrainian humanitarian and charitable association, one of 192 equal members of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Among the priorities of the Society are the provision of assistance to victims during emergencies, psychosocial assistance, increase of social cohesion of communities, etc.