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On 9 November 2021, head of the regional office of the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Ghassan Khalil visited the New Athos Monastery. The guest was received by the abbot of the monastery of the holy Apostle Simon the Canaanite in New Athos, Hierodeacon David (Sarsaniya), the meeting was also attended by the lava of the UNICEF Sukhum office Olivier Tone with the office staff Amina Zantaria and Nala Argun, an employee of the Department of Social Service and Charity Almaskhan Bebiya and Legal Counsel Yalanchidi.

The abbot of the monastery expressed his gratitude to UNICEF for its assistance in the foundation of the Social Support Service for Children and Families in Abkhazia. Ab David (Sarsaniya) noted the usefulness of cooperation between the Department of Social Service and Charity of HMA and the Service for Social Support of Children and Families in Abkhazia. The abbot of the monastery also emphasized the importance of carrying out trainings by UNICEF, which improve the work with children in socially vulnerable families.

Ghassan Khalil quoted a parable from the Gospel. In this parable Jesus Christ compares people who wish to enter the Kingdom of Heaven with children, as well as the fact of the Lord’s birth among people as a Child who had earthly parents. He proposed to hold a conference in 2022 on the protection of children’s rights in Abkhazia and invited religious leaders to participate in it.

In the end of the meeting, the guests were presented with albums about the holy places of Abkhazia published by publishing office of HMA.