HUMANITARIAN EVENT “CHILDREN HELPING CHILDREN” ORGANISED BY THE FOUNDATION OF HRH CROWN PRINCESS KATHERINE

Belgrade, 16 December, 2006 – On the occasion of its fifth anniversary, the Foundation of HRH Crown Princess Katherine organised today at Sava Centre a humanitarian event Children Helping Children. Children from Belgrade elementary schools, homes for children without parental care and centres for children with special needs from all parts of Serbia had the opportunity to enjoy the magic of Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker, and a special choir formed by students of all Belgrade music schools.

Every ticket purchased at 400 dinars allowed for one child without parental care to attend the performance free of charge. All proceeds from the event were used to organise free transportation and their stay in Belgrade. The children who could afford to bring gifts left them under the Christmas tree, together with gifts collected from donors and other humanitarian organisations from Serbia and abroad. These gifts will be given out to children at the traditional Christmas reception at the White Palace.

In the hall of the Sava Centre, the children were welcomed by clowns, men on stilts, jugglers and Santa Claus, which created a holiday atmosphere. Inside the main hall, children from eight Belgrade music schools performed For Every Miracle, a composition specially written for this event by Konstantin Babić. This was followed by The Nutcracker, one of the most famous and most-often produced ballets, which was performed by the ballet school Lujo Davičo and choreographed by Vladimir Logunov. The program was led by Raša Popov who told the children, in his characteristic style, the story of The Nutcracker.

By organizing this event, the Foundation of HRH Crown Princess Katherine made it possible for children from all parts of Serbia to enjoy the most beautiful Christmas fairytale, but also showed children of all ages and economic backgrounds that it is never too early to start helping and giving to those who need it the most.

“We all have children and we care for them. It is very important to teach them to give from a very early age, because a society that has people who give to others is a stable and rich society of satisfied people. Giving is an expression of love, and love is most important of all,” emphasized HRH Princess Katherine in her speech.

The Foundation of HRH Crown Princess Katherine wholeheartedly wishes to thank all donors and participants in this event.

Participants: Ballet School Lujo Davičo, choirs from music schools Mokranjac, Josip Slavenski, Vojislav Vučković, Stanković, Josif Marinković, Stanislav Binički, Petar Konjović and Lisinski, Mr. Raša Popov, NGO ART BG - Šarena Laža Circus, and studio for face painting Tras.

Donors: ADRA Srbija, Akzent Media, Alpha Bank Serbia, Atlantik tourist agency, Autoprevoz Turist Biro Kikinda, Canadian Embassy, Beosing, BIP, Centrotextil, Coca-Cola HBC, Ivona flower shop, Cvetić by Vitesa, Delta Engineering, Eko Yu, Europen, Force & Forma, Fresh&Co, Garden Centar, Glob Metropoliten Turs, Grafix printing press, Hary & M Company, HIP – Petrohemija, Hotel IN, Husqvarna Trade, Ikarbus, Jugomarka, Consulate of Sri Lanka, Mala Moda Marija, Megatrend, Messer Tehnogas, Monix, M-Plast, Municipality of Kruševac, Municipality of Loznica, Municipality of Pantelej – Niš, National Bank of Serbia, National Theatre Belgrade, Neochimiki, Nikola Tesla Airport, NIS Naftagas Novi Sad, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, PTT Srbije, Sava Centre, Siemens, SOKOJ, Societe Generale Bank, Soko Štark, Srbija Šume, Telekom Srbija, Telenor, TV Advertising, US Steel Serbia, Vizartis printing press.

Media sponsors: TV Metropolis, Serbian Broadcasting Company, RTV B92, RTV Košava, RTV Pink, Studio B, TV Avala, Internet portal Nadlanu, Internet portal Ekapija, AVS