Feb. 20, 2007 Silver Spring, Maryland, United States

Compiled by ANN Staff

United States: Adventist Representative Commends UN Initiative to Curb Violence Against Women ... Far more action is needed to curb the world-wide problem of violence directed against women, says Dr. Jonathan Gallagher, the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s representative to the United Nations. Attending a UN policy summit on gender issues held in New York on Feb. 15, Gallagher commended the ongoing UN initiative designed to develop practical methods to end gender-related violence and discrimination. “Women and girls continue to experience violence at intolerably high levels,” comments Gallagher. “Combating this evil must be a top priority for both governments and civil society, and we welcome initiatives designed to highlight and prevent such abuses. As a church we deplore violence, especially that directed at women, and are actively involved in changing mindsets that accept such unacceptable behavior.”  [PARL News/ANN]

Serbia: Adventist Church Registers With Government... The government in Serbia has officially accepted the registration of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. All religious groups have been required to register with the government, even if they had done so previously. Adventists were the first denomination to register, and have now gained legal status.  In a document signed on Jan. 29th Dr. Milan Radulovic, Minister of Religion for Serbia, recognized the work of the Adventist church. [TED News/ANN]

Burundi: AWR Assists New Station ... Installation of a new FM radio station will be completed in Burundi this month, through the assistance of Adventist World Radio. The station is named “Radio Agakiza,” which translates as “Salvation Radio,” and will broadcast programs in Kirundi, Swahili, French, and English. It is located in the capital city of Bujumbura, and broadcasts have the potential to reach a population of one million people in the city and surrounding area. The project is taking place under the supervision of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Burundi and the East-Central Africa region, and AWR is assisting with the purchase and installation of equipment. [AWR/ANN Staff]

United States: Adventist University President Named ‘Citizen of the Year’ ... Lawrence T. Geraty, president of Seventh-day Adventist-owned La Sierra University, has been named the 2007 Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce ‘Citizen of the Year.’ Since 1973, the Chamber has chosen a ‘Citizen of the Year’ from among those who work to make the local community its very best. Nick Goldware, who chairs the Citizen of the Year Committee that nominates a new recipient each year, says it’s not Geraty’s work at La Sierra University, nor his Harvard-educated leadership or even his award-winning research and archeological findings that earned him recognition. “I am nominating Dr. Geraty ... for the profound input he has had on virtually every aspect of our community over these 14 years ... [He] goes far beyond ... his professional responsibilities as a university president,” Goldware said. “Geraty represents the very best of our community.” Geraty will be formally presented with the ‘Citizen of the Year’ medal on March 22. [La Sierra University/ANN Staff]

United States: Florida Children’s Hospital First to Offer Musical Pacifier Therapy ... Premature babies at Florida Children’s Hospital at Florida Hospital are the first tiny patients in Central Florida to receive music therapy with the Pacifier Activated Lullaby (PAL) System. The musical pacifier is used as a therapy device that teaches infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) how to suck, swallow, and breathe in a healthy rhythm. In addition, it helps premature infants feed normally and gain weight.  The sucking action is also believed to play a role in neurological development.  Research shows that preemies increase their suckling rate 2.5 times once exposed to the PAL and leave the hospital an average of 11 to 12 days sooner with PAL as opposed to those who do not receive the treatments. With six out of every 100 births occurring prematurely, too-early birth is a critical health problem.

The pacifier works by playing a soothing, reinforcing lullaby when an infant sucks the specially wired, pressure-sensitive pacifier and stops playing when the infant stops sucking. Within minutes, preemies weighing as little as three pounds learn how to keep the healing music playing. [Florida Hospital/ANN]

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