Press releases

9 Jul 2020

Belarus, UNICEF launch Child Friendly Border initiative in Minsk airport

MINSK, 9 July (BelTA) - The Belarusian State Border Committee and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) have launched a joint initiative Child Friendly Border. Minsk National Airport, which has been chosen as the starting point of the partnership, presented the innovations that will make travel with children comfortable in a ceremony on 9 July, BelTA has learned.

The project involves creating comfortable and friendly conditions at checkpoints for families with children departing Belarus. The airport has designated passport control booths (two in the arrivals hall and two in the departure hall), mounted the information stands with materials on responsible parenthood, children's rights and measures to prevent infectious diseases and arranged a games area for kids with a game table, an interactive sandbox, several children's cars, colorful photo zones and many more.

Chairman of the State Border Committee Anatoly Lappo noted that the joint initiative will be launched at border points across Belarus. “In the coming years we together with UNICEF are planning to develop further the Child Friendly Border initiative. We are set to set up playgrounds near international checkpoints and border outposts, carry out joint actions and activities to support children crossing the Belarusian border, and children of border guards,” he said.

UNICEF Representative in Belarus Dr. Rashed Mustafa Sarwar noted that a great number of measures are being taken in Belarus for the safety and well-being of children. “This is our first initiative in the former Soviet Union to arrange a child friendly border in an airport. This will allow little passengers to have fun as they wait to board the plane. We hope that now it will be more interesting for children to pass passport control and stay at airports,” Dr. Rashed Mustafa Sarwar said.

The Minsk airport has indoor and outdoor children's playgrounds, baby care rooms, and facilities for children with disabilities, director general of the airport Vyacheslav Khoroneko added.