- Title: RUSSIA: Naomi Campbell organizes fundraiser for Russian charities
- Date: 27th April 2010
- Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (APRIL 26, 2010) (REUTERS) MODEL NAOMI CAMPBELL WALKING INTO ROOM WHITE ROSES NAOMI CAMPBELL SITTING DOWN IN INTERVIEW CHAIR HANDS (SOUNDBITE) (English) NAOMI CAMPBELL, MODEL AND NEON FOUNDER, SAYING: "Why not here? I'm living here and as I'm living here I feel that it's hospitable, everyone has been very nice to me and welcoming and I wanted to give back. I love doing things with kids, I've done it for many many years and I hope that I can continue to do it." INTERVIEW IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) NAOMI CAMPBELL, MODEL AND NEON FOUNDER, SAYING: "Children I supported, the orphanages, education, medication, clothing, medicine and Irish Foundation which supports children in the arts so it's both practice and also encouraging those who have passion and a gift to do something great in their lives." INTERVIEW IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) NAOMI CAMPBELL, MODEL AND NEON FOUNDER, SAYING: "There's other countries that already asked, that are interested in having NEON in their countries, yeah. So it's two other, great places, destinations, but I think that what's great is that Moscow will be the first." FLOWERS NAOMI CAMPBELL AND IRINA KUDRINA, PRESIDENT OF NORTHERN CROWN CHILDREN'S' FUND, ON COUCH CLOSE UP OF NAOMI CAMPBELL'S FACE PHOTOGRAPHERS NAOMI CAMPBELL AND IRINA KUDRINA ON COUCH FLOWERS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) IRINA KUDRINA, PRESIDENT OF NORTHERN CROWN CHILDREN'S FUND, SAYING: "First of all it's important that this is Naomi's initiative and that stars, like her, attract attention to charity and orphanages. This is great. It's even better because it's happening in Russia where charity work is only coming back after it was lost post-1917." HANDS ON LAP IRINA KUDRINA AND NAOMI CAMPBELL STANDING
- Embargoed: 12th May 2010 13:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: Fashion
- Reuters ID: LVADFHAISU7XN6PECEJFUXNMQRA8
- Story Text: Naomi Campbell's love for Russia has inspired the British supermodel to raise money for the country's underprivileged children, she said on Monday (April 26).
"Why not here? I'm living here and as I'm living here I feel that it's hospitable, everyone has been very nice to me and welcoming and I wanted to give back. I love doing things with kids, I've done it for many many years and I hope that I can continue to do it," a smiling Campbell, 39, told Reuters in an interview in the Russian capital.
Spending part of the year in Moscow with her Russian boyfriend and property mogul Vladimir Doronin, the model has become a regular fixture at the city's fashion shows and elite boutiques, sometimes clad in Russian-designed frocks.
Though she has a history of brushes with the law in the West, she is much-loved by Russia's champagne-quaffing new rich and is the first major foreign star to live in the country.
In late May Campbell hopes to raise at least one million USD at her fundraiser, called NEON, for two Russian charities which provide education, medicine and training for children.
The money will be split between The Iris Foundation, run by Daria Zhukova, her friend and the girlfriend of Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, and Northern Crown, managed by the wife of Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin, Irina.
"The children I supported, the orphanages, education, medication, clothing, medicine and Irish Foundation which supports children in the arts so it's both practice and also encouraging those who have passion and a gift to do something great in their lives," said Campbell.
Sculptures by British artist Antony Gormley and works by U.S. painter Richard Prince will be auctioned with other pieces of art by London's Sotheby's at the event.
Zhukova, an established Moscow socialite who runs the sleek Moscow gallery 'Garage', will attend, along with a slew of international fashion stars and Britain's Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson.
Campbell hopes to take NEON to other countries after Russia.
"There's other countries that already asked, that are interested in having NEON in their countries, yeah. So it's two other, great places, destinations, but I think that what's great is that Moscow will be the first," said Campbell.
Northern Crown works to support nursing homes, orphanages and children's homes in disadvantaged regions across Russia.
"First of all it's important that this is Naomi's initiative and that stars, like her, attract attention to charity and orphanages. This is great. It's even better because it's happening in Russia where charity work is only coming back after it was lost - post 1917," said Kudrina.
A limited edition NEON t-shirts by designer Igor Chapurin, one of which was worn by Campbell on Monday, will also be sold to raise money for charities.
The event will take place May 25th in Moscow's Capital City, Europe's tallest building. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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