(IsraelNN.com) An Israeli program for training clown doctors has been selected by the European Union for sponsorship. The program, called "Smile Factory," will bring together youths from Europe and Israel for a week-long crash course in the art of medical clowning, which has been found to aid children in recovery from disease and in dealing with illness.

Youths from Slovenia, Turkey and England arrived in Israel on Sunday for the project, which is co-sponsored by Ramat Hasharon municipality, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and the Ministry of Education. A non-profit group which works with youth volunteers is also part of the team behind the project.

The participating youths will spend part of the week touring the children's wards in Israel's hospitals, where they will tell children stories, make them laugh, blow up balloons for them, apply makeup to their faces and play with them.

At the end of the course, the new clowns will receive a "Clown Doctor" certificate as well as a balloon kit, a balloon inflater, a clown shirt, a red-button nose and more.