This year, National Belgium Day was marked by a joint initiative of the Belgian Embassy, Belgian-Serbian Business Association (BSBA) and BSBA member companies that have joined forces with Fund B92 to donate medical and protective equipment to health care facilities in Belgrade and Surdulica.
Through this initiative, Belgian companies and the Embassy of Belgium raised over 12,200 euros, that were used for the purchase of 4 infusion-perfusion pumps for the Clinical Hospital Center “Zemun”, a video laryngoscope for the Health Center Surdulica, as well as 700 protective coats for CHC “Zvezdara”.
Two Belgian companies, New Image and Metech, in cooperation with the “Aleksandar Jovanović” Technical School in Smederevo, delivered several hundred protective face shields that will be distributed to several Covid hospitals – “Zemun”, “Zvezdara”, “Bežanijska kosa”, “Dr Dragiša Mišović – Dedinje”, Orthopedic Institute Banjica and Health Center Surdulica.
The ceremony of handing over the perfusion pumps at Zemun hospital was attended by the Fond B92’s President of the Board of Directors and the Executive Director of the Serbian Philanthropic Forum Veran Matić, the Belgian Ambassador H.E. Mr. Koen Adam, Belgian Defense Attaché Colonel Xavier Deneys and First Secretary Mr. Ruben Van Opstaele. Representatives of the Belgian-Serbian Business Association (BSBA), President Hugo van Veghel, and Executive Director Milica Vranjanac, also attended the event and the donation.
In addition to the companies New Image and Metech, which provided protective face shields, several other Belgian companies operating in Serbia joined this solidarity action, including TARA International Consulting, the International Center for Knowledge and Technology Transfer – ICTTI, and Elicio Wind represented on today’s event by Director Mr. Christophe Bols and Dejan Janković, as well as many other companies.
“I am really grateful to the Belgian companies, which are in a difficult situation themselves and which, given the consequences of the Covid-19 crisis, still considered it important to participate in this action of solidarity. In these difficult times, we must take care of health care workers and I am glad that Fund B92 directed part of the donation for the protective equipment they will use. This action shows the commitment of Belgian investors to fight together with their Serbian hosts, to overcome the current crisis. In that sense, despite of the difficult situation our countries are going through, this time we are celebrating Belgium National Day in the warmest and most beautiful way”, said the Ambassador of Belgium in Belgrade, Mr. Koen Adam on this occasion.
Veran Matić, President of Fund B92’s Board of Directors and Executive Director of the Serbian Philanthropic Forum, pointed out on this occasion: “After a very valuable donation to “Dr Dragiša Mišović” hospital, the Belgian Embassy decided to dedicate its National day to solidarity with Serbia, health care workers and patients. In this manner, friendship and solidarity are demonstrated in the best way, but also Belgian patriotism and dignified celebration of the national day.”
Source: Fond B92