Balti – July 17, 2024. Today, the United States Government handed over a sports hall renovated by the International Organization for Migration in the Republic of Moldova to the M. Lomonosov Lyceum, in the municipality of Balti.

The M. Lomonosov Lyceum has a Ukrainian refugee among its teachers and is the high school in the municipality of Balti with the largest number of Ukrainian students (14).

From today, its sports hall will be used by more than 700 boys and girls to enjoy team sports activities including basketball, volleyball, gymnastics and training for local and national competitions.

The donation, worth USD 118,000 and including renovations to changing rooms and showers, is part of joint efforts by the U.S. Government, IOM, and local Moldovan authorities to foster social cohesion among Ukrainian refugees and the host communities.

The handover ceremony was attended by Alexandr Petkov, Mayor of the municipalityof Balti, Valentina Ivanova, Headmaster of the M. Lomonosov Lyceum, Daniela DiPierro, Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in the Republic of Moldova, and Lars Johan Lönnback, IOM Moldova’s Chief of Mission.

“We express our sincere gratitude for your assistance in these renovations. Thanks to this support, all students will be able to study in safe and comfortable conditions”, said the Mayor who presented Balti’s municipality certificates of gratitude to Mrs DiPierro and Mr Lönnback.

“Today, here, we all have the same feelings: joy and excitement. The high school has a new, completely renovated sports hall: repaired painted with whitewashed walls and ceiling, excellent lighting, new doors. The development of physical education and sports is no less important than bright classrooms and the most modern computer equipment”, said the Headmaster, Valentina Ivanova.

“The United States is proud to support improvements to the Lomonosov Lyceum as part of our assistance to Moldovan communities hosting Ukrainian refugees.  I’m so moved to see how the school community here has welcomed Ukrainian refugees. This is a beautiful example of Moldova’s hospitality and generosity,” said the Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy, Daniela DiPierro.

"I hope these facilities foster a sense of community so that the Ukrainian refugees who attend the school feel at home here together with hundreds of Moldovan students. I was heartened by the words of Balti's Mayor, Alexandr Petkov, when he spoke of the Ukrainian children in the Lomonosov lyceum as 'his children'. IOM's investment in these renovation works would not have been possible without being able to rely on the generous donation of the United States Government. We have several projects in Balti, and we are working with the Municipality to evaluate other opportunities", said Lars Johan Lönnback.

The donation was made possible with the financial support of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, within the project ​​“PRM Contribution to the IOM Regional Appeal for Ukraine and Neighbouring Countries – 2023​” implemented by the International Organization for Migration in the Republic of Moldova.

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For more information, please contact:

Riccardo Severi, IOM Moldova’s Communications and Public Information Officer, rseveri@iom.int.