ZAGREB TO HOST 'NIGHT OF A THOUSAND DINNERS' DEMINING FUNDRAISER

ZAGREB, Nov 4 (Hina) - The U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Croatia is organising a fund-raiser at Zagreb's Sheraton hotel on Saturday, Nov. 8, to collect money for the demining of an area planted with landmines and other explosive devices during the 1990s Homeland War. #L# Every person attending the event, called "Night of a Thousand Dinners", has to donate a minimum 500 kuna (about 65 euros). The funds will be doubled by the Canadian and United States embassies, as has been the case before. The fund-raiser is held under the auspices of Diners Club Adriatic. "Night of a Thousand Dinners" has been held world-wide since 2001 with the aim to raise money for demining in the world's six most mine-infested countries -- Croatia, Afghanistan, Bosnia- Herzegovina, Cambodia, Mozambique, and Vietnam. The Croatian Mine Action Centre estimates there are about 700,000 mines planted in the country, the clearing of which will take another seven years minimum. (hina) ha sb