Announcement: The Early Years An Opportunity of a Lifetime awareness raising campaign by UNICEF Montenegro and the Ministry of Health throu thopics Being a father is an opportunity of a lifetime

Mr. Djuro Ostojic member of Montenegrin national basketball team and a spokesperson for the campaign The Early Years An Opportunity of a Lifetime, together with Ms. Noala Skinner UNICEF Representative, Assistent to the Minister of Health Nebojša Todorović and Assistent to the Minister of Education and Science Vesna Vučurović, will visit the preschool Suncokrili in Blok 5, Podgorica on Wednesday morning, August 5, from 8.30 until 9.30am.

The aim of Djuros visit to the preschool is to promote active involvement of fathers in raising their children in Montenegro. Promoting a more active role of fathers is one of the three topics of the awareness raising campaign The Early Years An Opportunity of a Lifetime, while the other two are: promotion of breastfeeding and alternatives to physical punishment of children.

The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness that the early years of a childs life present unique opportunities to give the best possible start in life. Studies show that when men play a significant role in their childrens upbringing from birth, they do better in school, score higher on intelligence tests and experience behavioural problems more rarely. Being a father is an opportunity of a life time.

During tomorrow morning manifestation, Djuro Ostojic will play basketball with children, and read them a story from 8.30 until 9.00am. After that promoters of the Campaign will give media statements at the preschool at 9.00am.