The Festival of Christmas Trees, the purpose of which is to raise funds to support the educational projects of the organisation SAVE THE CHILDREN Romania, has reached its 14th edition. This year, the event will take place on December 4, at Stejarii Country Club in Bucharest.
The annual flagship event brings together, since 2001, the most influential entrepreneurs, public figures, businessmen, people in the media and personalities of the cultural and artistic life. CATENA is a PLATINUM sponsor of this edition of the Festival of Christmas Trees, but also of the educational programmes initiated and undertaken by SAVE THE CHILDREN Romania.
“The launching of the event takes place in a special context: we will celebrate the International Children’s Rights Day, which marks a quarter-century since signing the Convention on the Rights of the Child during the United Nations Assembly, which clearly states that the government ought to ensure free and compulsory primary education, but also to take measures in order to encourage the access to general or vocational secondary education. The way in which the government accomplishes this responsibility is mirrored by the alarming statistics on the Romanian children’s access to education,” stated Gabriela Alexandrescu, Executive President of the organisation, at the press conference which was also attended by Anca Vlad, President of FILDAS Group.
Artistic fir trees auction
The gala is held at the end of each year in the form of a special Christmas trees auction, created solely for this occasion by some of the most renowned designers and Romanian artists. The guests of the 2014 edition are Doina Levintza, Lena Criveanu, Stephan Pelger, Iris Serban, Rhea Costa, Malvina Cervenschi, DIZAINAR, Carmen Ormenisan, Anca Fetcu (Bucharest Design Center), Ramona Filip, Laura8, Anca Lungu, Irina Pogonaru (Photoliu), Irina Neacsu, Andreea Badala (Murmur), Assamblage – The School of Contemporary Jewellery, Zenya Atelier, Hamid Nicola Katrib, Lorena Trica and Silvia Suotean, MATIUS.
Last year, fir trees were auctioned for amounts between 700 and 6.300 Euros. Doina Levintza’s creation, “Fir tree for Romania”, was bid and purchased by Anca Vlad, President of FILDAS Group, and the fir tree called “The air chrysalis,” created by the designer Wilhelmina Arz, by Otilia Ostrotki, in the name of the Advertising Agency TONICA.
In 2014, thanks to the sums of money raised during the 2013 edition (155.000 Euros from the raffle tickets, sponsorships and following the auction of the 23 small fir trees created for this exact purpose), SAVE THE CHILDREN upheld 2.127 children, the majority of whom (65%) benefited from support during the prevention programme concerning school drop-out, “School after School.” Moreover, almost 1.000 parents benefited from services under the programme “Good people make the world a better place!”
“We thank all the companies, designers, celebrities and the individual donors who support us and believe that together we can give back to these children the chance to education and a decent future,” stated Andi Moisescu, the President of SAVE THE CHILDREN Romania.
3 million Euros raised during 13 editions
During the 13 editions held so far, the organisation succeeded in raising about 3 million Euros, used so as to assist more than 20.000 beneficiaries, by means of school (re)integration of the children that have to work (the programmes “Second Chance” and “School after School”) and the prevention of school drop-out among the disadvantaged communities (the programme “Summer season kindergartens”).
Save the Children Romania is a non-governmental organisation, with an active interest in promoting children’s rights since 1990. During its 24 years of activity, over one million children benefited from the programmes of the organisation.
