EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Mariann Fischer Boel and Commissioner for Health Androulla Vassiliou yesterday launched a pan-European school milk campaign from Limassol.
The ‘Milk – Drink It Up’ campaign was launched in a festive atmosphere during a celebration prepared by the pupils and teachers at Panayia Triherousa elementary school in Limassol.
The event included singing by the school choir, a small fete and the preparation of healthy breakfasts including dairy products and fruit by the school’s pupils, with the aid of Boel, Vassiliou and Agriculture Minister Michalis Polynikis. The campaign aims to encourage schools, pupils and parents to learn more about the benefits of the new EU programme for distributing milk to schools as well as the importance of maintaining a healthy, balanced diet.
“Children develop their eating habits at an early age and often these habits are a determining factor for their health throughout their lives. The aim of the European school milk distribution programme is to promote the present and future health of our children, helping schools offer dairy products to pupils and encouraging children to have healthy diets,” said Boel.
“It is a great honour that the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development has chosen to start its school milk distribution campaign from Cyprus,” said Minister Polynikis.
“As a state we will contribute with all our power to fulfilling the targets of the European Commission to improve children’s eating habits and increase milk and dairy product consumption,” Polynikis added.
Vassiliou offered some nutritional and lifestyle advise to the children. “Drink milk as it has a lot of Vitamin D, which helps maintain healthy bones. Also, leave your computers and TVs for a little and go out to gardens and play with your friends,” she said. The Commissioner for Health also distributed a book prepared by UEFA, as part of its ‘Eat For Goals’ campaign. The book features recipes for healthy meals.
According to the International Obesity Task Force, there are presently 22 million obese or overweight children in the EU, and the number increases by 400,000 each year. In Cyprus, 20 per cent of children between the ages of seven and 11 are obese or overweight. In the long run, obesity can lead to increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and other health problems.
The new school milk programme will be enforced from the 2008-2009 school year and will include funding for a greater variety of dairy products and allow each member state some room to adjust the application of the programme in each country and choose which products to include. National organisations responsible for the application of the programme have been set up in each member state. For more information on the programme, visit www.drinkitup.europa.eu
Commissioner Boel also announced the launch of a children’s photography competition on the theme of ‘The Power of Milk’. Students under the age of 20 can participate by uploading their pictures on the ‘Drink It Up’ website until the deadline of February 28, 2009. Contest winners will get Nintendo Wii game boards.
