More than Br6 billion has been allocated to social programs of trade unions in the Vitebsk region for 2005-2009

July 2, Vitebsk / Sergey Kotovets - BELTA /. More than Br6 billion has been allocated for the financing of social programs of the Vitebsk regional association of trade unions of the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus for 2005-2009. This was announced today by the chairman of the association, Alexander Tsylyov, at the regional reporting conference of trade unions, a BELTA correspondent reports. Social initiatives of trade unions are aimed at supporting and developing physical culture and high-performance sports, modernizing and repairing sports facilities, reducing the cost of vouchers to children's health resorts and preparing resorts for the summer season, and developing spiritual culture and folk art. Over the five-year period, more than 144,000 children underwent health improvement in boarding camps. Actions "Trade Unions - for Children" have become traditional for trade union organizations, during which financial support was provided to children's institutions in the amount of Br420 million over five years. Trade union organizations of the region have taken under their patronage more than 40 specialized children's institutions, which are constantly provided with patronage assistance. Veterans and participants of the Great Patriotic War are also in the focus of trade unions. Only in preparation for the celebration of the 65th anniversary of Victory, trade union members provided assistance to almost 1.2 thousand lonely-living veterans and war invalids. In this work, trade unions actively cooperate with veteran organizations, including coordinating activities for the care of memorial complexes, monuments and military burials. About 260 creative amateur groups have been created by trade union organizations of the region, 30 of which bear the titles of "People's" and "Exemplary". The structure of the regional sports club of trade unions includes 16 children's and youth sports schools, where over 6,000 children and adolescents are trained. Trade unions cultivate 28 types of sports, including 21 Olympic sports. Almost 482,000 people are members of trade union organizations in the region, or about 95% of all working citizens. Among them are almost 45,000 young people who are studying, which is more than 96% of the total number of this category of residents in the region. From 2005 to 2010, the number of trade union organizations in the Vitebsk region increased by more than 10,000 people. -0-