NEWS RELEASE

081123-NR-638-Lithuanian children make scarves for Afghan children

International Security Assistance Force - Afghanistan

Committed to the security, reconstruction and extension of governance in Afghanistan

2008-638

Lithuanian children make scarves for Afghan children

KABUL, Afghanistan (November 23) — ISAF's Ghowr Provincial Reconstruction Team Nov. 22 presented scarves knitted by Lithuanian children to pupils of Nasvan Sultan Ghowri Chaghcharan girls school and Sultan Alawadin Ghori boys school.

Initiator and coordinator of the project, Major Gediminas Latvys, said at the handover ceremony, “I hope this small gift of Lithuanian pupils will warm bones as well as hearts of their peers in Ghowr. Children of Lithuania put their hearts in their handmade gifts therefore the scarves express solidarity and are tokens of affinity between children of Lithuania and Ghowr.”

While preparing for their mission in Afghanistan, the PRT's members initiated the campaign “Scarves of Lithuanian children to children of Ghowr” in the schools of Klaipeda, Telsiai and Taurage districts. Pupils from these schools were invited to help children of Ghowr survive a cold winter by producing handmade scarves using their creativity to express moral support for their peers in Afghan schools. The result exceeded expectations. The month-long campaign ended with about 500 scarves made.

During the campaign, the PRT's members visited the students making the scarves. The Lithuanian students were interested in the school-life of Ghowr pupils.

Preceding this project, Lithuanian students sent drawings to students in Ghowr in fall 2006.

The Ghowr PRT is formed on the basis of the Lithuanian Armed Forces National Defence Volunteer Force. It includes Danish, Croatian, Ukrainian, American and Georgian members.

The Lithuanian-led PRT mission was first launched in the Ghowr in June 2005. Its main tasks are helping the Afghan government extend its authority in the province, ensuring security and creating relevant conditions for provincial reconstruction.

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GHOWR PROVINCE, Afghanistan — Students of the Sultan Alawadin Ghori boys school here display their new scarves Nov. 22. The scarves were handmade from Lithuanian students. (ISAF photo)

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1. More information on the International Security Assistance Force can be found here <http://www.nato.int/isaf>

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