The Children's Fund of Abkhazia expresses outrage at the exclusion of Abkhazia from the list of countries invited to Turkey for the International Children's Festival
Turkey's Artı1 TV interviewing with Abkhaz children
SUKHUM -- The Children's Fund of Abkhazia expresses deep outrage at the fact that children's dance ensemble "Abaza" will not be able to take part in the International Children's Festival to be held on April 23, 2013 in Turkey due to the unacceptable conditions for participation, which are of a political nature.
We would remind you that Abkhazia was originally included in the list of countries participating in the festival, but at Georgia’s demand it was excluded from it as an unrecognized country. Georgia insisted that the organizers of the festival use the name "Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia, Georgia” instead of the country’s name "Abkhazia."
"The politicization of children's cultural and sporting events that are humanitarian in nature and contribute to a child’s harmonious development is inadmissible and unacceptable, as it violates human rights and child rights enshrined in the main international declarations and conventions on human rights. Abkhazia’s children have every right to a happy childhood. They are entitled to all the rights and freedoms provided for by international conventions on children’s rights," reads a statement by the Children's Fund of the Republic of Abkhazia.
The Children's Fund of Abkhazia directs the attention of the international community to "repeated violations of the right of Abkhazia’s children to participate in international cultural events, [violations] that are taking place with the connivance of the Georgian government, which is implementing a policy of isolation and discrimination against the children of Abkhazia."
Source: ApsnyPress
Abkhazia's children dance-ensemble “Abaza”