Скачать или смотреть NetworkNewsToday: MARIA SHARAPOVA GIVES $250,000 for SPORTS in BELARUS (UNDP)

NetworkNewsToday: 01 July 2010 - UNDP: Belarus - Maria Sharapova, tennis star and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Goodwill Ambassador, today (1 July) made a personal contribution of 250,000 US dollars to expand a UNDP supported programme that provides sports and physical activities for youth in the area affected by the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

Sharapova made the announcement during a two-day visit to the former Soviet republic, where she saw firsthand a number of youth-focused projects financed by UNDP and the Maria Sharapova Foundation.

SOUNDBITE (English) Antonius Broek, UNDP Chief in Belarus:
"Now I'm really extremely pleased and honored to announce that Maria during her visit here has decided to make a new contribution of in total US dollars 250,000 to the Chernobyl affected areas in Ukraine, the Russian Federation and Belarus. The details will follow later but it is for a new program of 2 years"

Sharapova said that it was important for youth to have an active healthy lifestyle.

SOUNDBITE (English) Maria Sharapova, UNDP Goodwill Ambassador:
"The donation will go to, we're just thinking about how we want to be involved with sports and that's obviously the root of what I do and I really believe that that's really important in these environments. And one of the most important things for me is to get the children to be active and to go outside and play sports."

The UNDP Goodwill Ambassador met with the 2009 winners of a UNDP/ Maria Sharapova Foundation scholarship programme for students coming from the contaminated Chernobyl regions, and played tennis with young Byelorussians.

The UNDP projects aim to provide new opportunities for young people in Gomel and improve living conditions for their communities.

Sharapova was born in 1987 in Nyagan, Siberia, after her family fled Gomel in the wake of the Chernobyl accident. After two years in Nyagan, the family moved to the Black Sea town of Sochi, Russia. In 1995 Sharapova left Russia to study tennis in the United States, going on to win three Grand Slam titles.

In partnership with UNDP, the Sharapova Foundation supported seven youth-oriented projects in areas of Belarus, the Russian Federation, and Ukraine affected by the Chernobyl accident; and funds a five-year scholarship programme for students coming from the contaminated regions.

The tennis champion was appointed UNDP Goodwill Ambassador in 2007.
..... ( UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME: UNDP ) ....
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