Habitat for Humanity opens its doors in Bratislava

Habitat showcases its work in photo exhibit to introduce organization to Slovak public

BRATISLAVA (October 1, 2007) – Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) officially opens today its regional office for the Europe and Central Asia region, with a press conference and photo exhibit.

The press event at Hotel Danube featured speakers from international organizations, including Nato Alhazishvili, Deputy Director, UNDP Bratislava Regional Center, and Slavka Mačáková, director of ETP Slovakia Centre for Sustainable Development, Košice.

In her remarks, Alhazishvili welcomed the Habitat for Humanity Europe and Central Asia regional office to Bratislava. She stressed that access to adequate housing – along with food, clothing and basic social services – is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. “Habitat for Humanity makes its contribution to fulfilling this basic human right for scores of people around the world, in line with the principles and spirit of United Nations,” she said. “We hope that with the move to Bratislava, both UNDP and Habitat for Humanity might find ways to join efforts in providing the poor people of this region with decent homes and livelihoods.”

The launch coincided with the UN-designated World Habitat Day, an annual event to reflect on the state of human settlements and to remind the world of its collective responsibility for the future of the human habitat. In cities and rural areas around the globe, nearly 1.6 billion people, or one-fourth of the world's population, live in poverty housing or have no shelter at all. Habitat for Humanity is working to address this problem in Europe, Central Asia and around the world.

At the press conference, Habitat for Humanity Europe and Central Asia vice-president Don Haszczyn introduced Habitat’s work in the region. Slovakia is one of 19 countries that Habitat operates throughout Europe and Central Asia (ECA).

“From Dublin to Dushanbe, we have helped over 2,800 families within the Europe and Central Asia region and another 10,000 in the developing world by now,” said Haszczyn in his presentation to media and guests. “We are doing this with innovative microfinance programs in Macedonia, partnerships with Roma communities in Slovakia, and traditional building methods such as cane reed in Kyrgyzstan.

”We are also responding to the Tsunami-devastated areas in South East Asia and working to alleviate poverty in some of the poorest countries in the world.”

In addition to the press conference, Habitat for Humanity showcased its work in Europe and Central Asia and worldwide with a photo exhibit that is open to the public from October 1- 19 in the lobby of Hotel Danube. The photos tell the story of Habitat’s work in the six focus countries in Europe and Central Asia. They also chronicle rebuilding efforts after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and offer a glimpse of the 2007 Desmond Tutu build in South Africa.

Habitat for Humanity Europe and Central Asia’s regional office had operated in Budapest since 2001. The office closed at the end of September. HFH Hungary, also based in Budapest, is not affected by the area office’s relocation to Bratislava.

While the Habitat for Humanity regional office is new to Slovakia, the organization has had a presence in the country since 2004, when it partnered with ETP Slovakia-Center for Sustainable Development to improve inadequate housing and access to clean water and basic sanitation for entire communities.

About Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity is a nondenominational Christian charity dedicated to eliminating poverty housing. It has built more than 200,000 houses; more than one million people are living in Habitat homes they helped build and own through low-cost, no-profit mortgages. We have positively affected lives in nearly 100 countries around the globe.

For more information, please contact:
Habitat for Humanity ECA Area Office in Bratislava
Phone: (+421) 2 52 49 80 10
E-Mail: eca@habitat.org

For more information on Habitat for Humanity Europe and Central Asia and World Habitat Day: www.habitateurope.org ; www.unhabitat.org

For more information on poverty housing in Europe and Central Asia:
“Causes of Poverty Housing”
ECA: http://www.habitat.org/eca/news/2005/10_05_2005_poverty_study.aspx#P1_16