Feb. 12 – The “heart” of Italian mayors reaches Palestine. On April 5, at the Vatican hearing with Pope Francis, the President of ANCI, Piero Fassino, announced their intention to “donate hospital equipment to the Baby Hospital in Bethlehem, supported by the Italian and Swiss Caritas, which saves the lives of children and mothers of all religious faiths.” That intention has become reality thanks to the donation of a medical ventilator to the only pediatric hospital in Palestine. The structure, supported only by charity, carries out 40.000 visits and 4.000 hospitalizations per year in favor of all children, without discrimination. During a meeting at the headquarters of ANCI between Secretary General Veronica Nicotra and pediatric hospital representatives, the president of the hospital, based in Bethlehem, Father Paul Rutz, explained that “the funds raised by ANCI (about $19.000) were delivered to the Pope who, through his chaplain Konrad Krajewski, entrusted them to the Hospital.” The meeting saw the participation of the Continuing Education in the Hospital director, Sister Donatella Lessio, and the general manager of Caritas Baby Hospital, Issa Bandak. The Secretary general of Anci Marche, Marcello Bedeschi, and Riccardo Friede, member of Children’s Relief Bethlehem, were also present.
