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Lausanne, Switzerland, January 27, 2010 – The
FIVB Development Department has announced that
despite the recent devastating earthquake in
Haiti, the Volleyball Cooperation Programme (VCP)
due to place on April 5 will not be called off.
Given the severity of the disaster, it was
initially unclear as to whether the VCP would
take place, however it has now be postponed to
the end of the year on a date yet to be decided.
The course was a huge success in Haiti last year
and the FIVB felt that it can't abandon a
national federation during a time of
desperation.
“We are committed to giving the people of Haiti
hope and by keeping this VCP in the calendar, we
believe that once again, Volleyball can help
rebuild a community,” FIVB Development Director
Mr. Helgi Thorsteinsson said. “Obviously now the
FIVB is working to help with more immediately
necessary items however, in the long term, the
VCP can act as a major source of inspiration and
encouragement. We will work through the
Development Centre in the Dominican Republic to
make sure this is realised.”
As reported on the FIVB website on January 19,
the FIVB and NORCECA have agreed to join forces
in an effort to raise food, medicine and funds
for the struck region. Additionally, last week
NORCECA sent 20,000 bottles of clean water to
the region to help lower the chance of epidemic
disease.
The country was hit with a 7.0 Richter scale
earthquake two weeks ago and government figures
estimate that the death toll could reach
300,000. Additionally, three million people are
estimated to be in desperate need of aid.
The FIVB VCP is in place to help national
federations implement and develop Volleyball and
Beach Volleyball around the world.
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