Lek donates computers to kindergartens in Prevalje
Today’s ceremony, at which computers were donated to the Public Educational and Safety Institute in Prevalje, marks the beginning of the end of Lek’s annual charity campaign, in which Lek has donated computers to kindergartens, primary schools, humanitarian organizations, health-care institutes and volunteer associations which contribute to improving the quality of life in local communities. With this campaign, which will end at the beginning of next year when Lek will have donated over 1000 computers to more than 150 recipients throughout Slovenia, Lek is implementing its role of corporate citizenship and contributing to the improvement of educational conditions for children and youths and the work conditions of numerous institutes and associations. At the beginning of 2005 the last batch of computers will be donated to recipients in central Slovenia.
In addition to the Public Educational and Safety Institute (PESI) in Prevalje, recipients in Koroška included the Center for Training, Work and Safety in Črna, the Slovenj Gradec Safe House, the Muta Primary School, Slovenj Gradec General Hospital, Mislinja Primary School, Koroška Steelworkers Primary School, Juričev Drejček Primary School, Franjo Golob Primary School and the Slovenj Gradec Health Care Secondary School.
The donation of computers to the PESI, which links two kindergartens in Prevalje, was marked by a pleasant atmosphere for the children from the kindergartens, who were entertained by clown Eva Škofič Maurer. On the handing over of the computers, Tatjana Grahovec, Director of the PESI, said: ‘We are happy that in their charity campaign Lek also remembered the youngest and gave us computers. Since computers are becoming increasingly important everyday tools in all fields of life, they have become an indispensable part of the pedagogical process in the education of preschool children. It is important to offer children in kindergartens the greatest amount of possibilities for the development of their abilities and different skills with the help of various accessories. Computers are one of such accessories, since there are a lot of didactic computer programs which are designed for children in this age group. The donated computers will be used in our kindergartens to supplement the selection of games for the children, who will be able to enter the fascinating world of computers.’
As a pharmaceutical company which is concerned with long-term education and maintaining the quality of health and life, Lek actively participates in humanitarian and health-care fields and contributes to the areas of culture, education, scientific research and sports. Lek’s wide-ranging engagement in its social environment has a common denominator, which is a high level of responsibility for children and youths, for whom Lek seeks to improve their today and tomorrow. ‘The greatest success in life is to make our children happy and put a smile on their faces, especially in these days before the holidays when they are so full of expectations. Therefore I am sure that we at Lek have received the most wonderful gift today and an acknowledgment of our work. A child’s smiling face says more than a thousand words,’ said Zlatko Ajd, Head of Penicillin Products Production at Lek’s manufacturing plant in Prevalje.
This campaign is another step which Lek has courageously and decisively taken towards implementing their role as a corporate citizen as a part of their mission to improve health care and the quality of life in the broadest sense of the word. Lek’s role also corresponds with Novartis’ corporate citizenship, which is one of the pillars of the operation of that successful global pharmaceutical company.
Lek, a new Sandoz company, is an international pharmaceutical company which operates as a business center on the markets of Central and Eastern Europe, Southeastern Europe and the CIS region, and also markets its products successfully on the US market, in the EU and elsewhere around the world. Lek creates value through the development, manufacturing and sales of pharmaceutical products, active pharmaceutical ingredients and biopharmaceutical products. The Lek Group employs about 3850 people in various regions and achieved total sales of USD 694 million in 2003. For further information please consult http://www.lek.si.
Sandoz, a Novartis company, is a world leader in generic pharmaceuticals and develops, manufactures and markets these medicines as well as pharmaceutical and biotechnological active ingredients. Decades of experience and profound know-how make Sandoz a renowned partner in the Pharmaceuticals, Biopharmaceuticals and Industrial Products Franchises. Altogether, Sandoz employs approximately 13,000 people worldwide and posted sales of USD 2.9 billion in 2003.
Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) is a world leader in pharmaceuticals and consumer health. In 2003, the Group’s business achieved sales of USD 24.9 billion and a net income of USD 5.0 billion. The Group invested approximately USD 3.8 billion in R&D. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ about 78 500 people and operate in over 140 countries around the world. For further information, please consult http://www.novartis.com.
This press release contains certain “forward-looking statements and conclusions” based on projections of Lek’s future business operations. These estimates are derived from the best information currently available. In case these forecasts prove unreliable, the actual results could prove different from those projected.
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For further information contact:
Katarina Klemenc Dinjaški
Corporate Communications
Lek Pharmaceuticals d.d.
Phone: + 386 1 580 22 43
Fax: + 386 1 580 24 32
corporate.communications@lek.si