Press release

World Breastfeeding Week 2008 will be marked in Bulgaria 1-7 August under the motto “Mother Support”

This year ' s main World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) city is Varna , where the World Walk for Breastfeeding will take place . The maternity ward of the Stara Zagora hospital will receive its Baby Friendly Hospital accreditation.

Within WBW 2008 education materials will be circulated; films and videos on breastfeeding will be shown . Training seminars, meetings, a contest for journalists, an open-doors day and other events will take place in various cities.

The theme of WBW 2008 is “Mother Support” from the entire community as one of the key factors for the success of breastfeeding. By supporting nursing mothers we are helping children grow up healthier.

In Bulgaria WBW will be marked for the fourth time. The organizers include The Ministry of Health's National Breastfeeding Committee, La Leche League Bulgaria , The Centre for Pregnant Women in Plovdiv , The Modern Parents Centre in Sofia and enthusiasts from the largest Bulgarian internet portal on parenting www.bg-mamma.com .

The logo , short videos and poster symbolize the need for support for the breastfeeding mother : in the hospital after birth, by the family, pediatrician, social milieu and work place . They have been created especially for Bulgaria by REMEMBRAND Agency ? Zographic Films Studios .

During WBW 2008 a new video for the promotion of breastfeeding will be presented. It has been produced jointly by Well Done Productions and La Leche League Bulgaria .

Media partners for WBW 2008 include: BTV , FM + Radio , ‘Moeto Dete' Magazine, ‘Kenguru' Magazine, ‘Po-Zdravi' Magazine. WBW 2008 is sponsored by Ganchev ? Libra .

WBW , marked in the first week of August every year , is the breastfeeding movement ' s largest campaign , celebrated in more than 120 countries worldwide. It was started in 1992 by WABA / World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action / aiming to revive and restore breastfeeding practices . WABA sets up the theme of WBW , which is different every year .

WABA ' s traditional partners in the marking of WBW include WHO , UNICEF , La Leche League , The American Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, The International Board of Lactation Consultants and more.

Spokes persons for the campaign :

Associated Professor Vanya Nedkova , Chair of the National Breastfeeding Committee and Head of the Pleven Medical University ' s Pediatric Clinic , tel . 064 886 406

Deputy Director of the National Centre for Public Health ,tel . +3592 805 62 61

Dr. Masha Gavrailova – Head of the department of Public Health Protection at the Ministry of Health – tel . +3592 930 11 83

Dr . Aneta Popivanova – Deputy Chair of the National Breastfeeding Committee , Neonatal Care Clinic , Maychin Dom Maternity Hospital , tel . +359 888 370 945

Tanya Ruseva – La Leche League , tel . +359 887 97 57 63

Antoaneta Borisova – Centre for Pregnant Women , Plovdiv , tel . +359 888 895026