Head of Delegation to Israel, Andrew Standley visited on March 2^nd the Israel-based international humanitarian project "Save a Child's Heart" in Holon. The project's mission is to improve the quality of pediatric cardiac care for children from developing countries who suffer from heart disease and to create centres of competence in these countries.

Head of Delegation's visit came as "Save a Child's Heart" began conducting the "Heart of the Matter Project" for 2010-2011. The project, supported under the European Union's Partnership for Peace Programme brings together Palestinians and Israelis by providing cardiac care to Palestinian children and training programs for physicians from the Palestinian Authority.

During his visit at the hospital, Head of Delegation met children from the Palestinian Authority, Iraq, Angola, Ghana, Gambia, Liberia and other countries as well as Israeli and Palestinian physicians who have been working together in close cooperation for the past 13 years: examining, evaluating and treating Palestinian children with heart problems from the West Bank and Gaza.  

Mr. Standley said that the "Heart of the Matter" project was an example of how the EU was helping Israelis and Palestinians to work together to save lives and build a better future. The project, he said, would not only provide cardiac treatment for over 150 Palestinian children but would also provide training in pediatric cardiac care for 8 Palestinian doctors, thereby strengthening partnerships and laying the foundations for greater capacity and self-sufficiency on the Palestinian side.

Mr. Standley praised "Save a Child's Heart" for the wonderful humanitarian work it was doing both in the framework of the EU funded project and indeed throughout the world. He said that he had been deeply touched by his meeting with the children and hospital staff.

For more information on Save A Child's Heart: http://www.saveachildsheart.org/