UNICEF ambassadors Bojana Gregorić Vejzović, Mirna Medaković Stepinac, Maja Vučić, Zlatan Stipišić Gibonni and Slaven Bilić were given special awards in recognition of their long-term contribution to the promotion of children's rights. Tennis player Marin Čilić, music diva Gabi Novak, Paralympic athlete Nataša Sobočan, host Nevena Rendeli Vejzović, parents, children and young people involved in UNICEF programmes received the "Friends of UNICEF" award.
UNICEF programmes and activities are an important part of Croatia's history. Our 75th anniversary is an opportunity to remember everything we have done so far for girls and boys in Croatia and to thank our friends, who are numerous, and who support us in fulfilling our mission for every child, said Regina M. Castillo, the head of the UNICEF Office Croatia.
She thanked donors, partners from non-governmental organisations and associates from the government and ministries and others with whom they work closely.
UNICEF was founded on 11 December 1946 to help children whose lives and future were threatened after World War II. One of UNICEF's first shipments of humanitarian aid went to Croatia.
During the Homeland War, UNICEF was the first international organisation in Croatia, and it provided medicines, psychosocial support and support to displaced persons and refugees. After the war, it focused on other important areas of child protection and development through the campaigns "Stop Violence Among Children", "Every Child Needs a Family" and "The First Three Are the Most Important". In recent years, UNICEF has supported the establishment of the Human Milk Bank, which has raised the health care of premature babies to the highest level.
In crisis situations, such as floods, the refugee crisis and now the pandemic and earthquakes, UNICEF is on the ground and provides emergency essentials and support to the most vulnerable families with the goal of protecting children and their rights. In 2020, UNICEF provided a data storage system for CARNET to help support distance learning, it supports the continuation of therapy and support for children with disabilities and their families in Sisak-Moslavina County and provides psychosocial support to the most vulnerable families, experts and pupils after the earthquake.
Through its youth programmes, UNICEF encourages the development of media literacy skills and entrepreneurial skills to create the foundations for a successful future for young people and the society as a whole.