The 52nd Annual Meeting of the National Committees for the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) launched in Hong Kong Monday, with over 120 representatives joining the event.

 

This is the first time for the UNICEF to hold its annual committees meeting in Hong Kong. The meeting lasts from May 6 to 9.

 

Speaking at the launching ceremony on Monday, Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang said that UNICEF has done loads of work in assisting children who are suffering, like those who lost their parents in wars and lack basic health care.

 

Tsang said, in Hong Kong, all walks of life strive their best to provide the city's children with a safe, healthy and happy growing environment. The government and voluntary units work closely together to offer different aids to help unprivileged children.

 

Advocacy of building a harmonious family is also elementary for children to gain favorable care, he added.

 

Some 120 attendees of the meetings will discuss current issues confronting children all over the world and to share their experience in their work to improve the well-being of children everywhere.

 

The meeting covers key issues engaging UNICEF related to how UNICEF interacts externally in a coherent way to achieve the greatest possible impact for children, and also how it best organizes internally to sharpen the focus and best manage to deliver quality results for children.

 

Participants of the meeting include UNICEF Executive Director Ann Veneman, senior officials from UNICEF New York and Ceneva Headquarters as well as the chairmen and executive directors of the 37 national committees and representatives from the UNICEF field offices.

 

(Xinhua News Agency May 8, 2007)