​MOLDOVA’S CANDIDATE FOR NOBEL PEACE PRIZE SWIMMING 30 KM IN DEFENSE OF CHILDHOOD

Marathon swimmer Ion Lazarenco, nominated by the Moldovan Government as the country’s candidate for the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize, has begun his new event. This time, he wants to swim 30 kilometers along the Dniester River to attract the public attention to the need to observe children’s rights.

Organized by the UNICEF, the swimming event is dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Ion Lazarenco is the first man in the world to have crossed 7 main famous straits – all from first attempts. He has repeatedly expressed pride to be a citizen of Moldova, though last 24 years he has been residing permanently in Ireland, but takes part in all sportive and other events invariably under the Moldovan National Flag.

In 2018, the World Open Water Swimming Association recognized Ion Lazarenco as “Man of the Year”. The Association pointed out the following main achievements of the Moldovan swimmer: the crossing of the Strait of Gibraltar (4 hours and 41 minutes), the English Channel (13.34), the North Channel (16.23), the Catalina Channel (12.01), the Molokai Channel (18.11), the Tsugaru Channel (11.20), and the Cook Strait (11.05).

To promote his candidacy for the Nobel Peace Prize, the Moldovan Government has allocated 1 million lei from the State Budget.