- Title: Romanian Christmas tree auction raises money for children's charity
- Date: 9th December 2016
- Summary: BUCHAREST, ROMANIA (DECEMBER 8, 2016) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF PREPARATIONS FOR CHRISTMAS TREES AUCTION IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Romanian) PRESIDENT OF SAVE THE CHILDREN ROMANIA, GABRIELA ALEXANDRESCU, SAYING: "In the end, this is the goal of our festival: ensuring the right of education for children who, due to the economical situation of their parents or other social kind of problems, can't afford to attend school." VARIOUS OF CHRISTMAS TREES DESIGNED BY ROMANIAN ARTISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Romanian) CHRISTMAS TREE DESIGNER, OMID GHANNADI, SAYING: "Every year I have tried to combine a real story and a Christmas tree story in order to concentrate less on design, but more on the story itself. To dedicate the tree to something which can impress people and help our children to obtain education. This year I have been thinking about a story which is very important at the moment, the children refugees living all around the world." VARIOUS OF GUESTS AT THE AUCTION LOOKING AT CHRISTMAS TREES VARIOUS OF AUCTION IN PROGRESS WITH AUCTION LEADER, MIHAI BOBONETE, TRYING TO OBTAIN THE BEST PRICES FOR THE CHRISTMAS TREES (SOUNDBITE) (Romanian) AUCTION LEADER, MIHAI BOBONETE (WITH ARTIST CATALIN BOTEZATU STANDING NEXT TO HIM), SAYING: "127.500 euro, won by Catena (pharmacy company)." CATENA GENERAL MANAGER, ANCA VLAD (SOUNDBITE) (Romanian) CATENA GENERAL MANAGER, ANCA VLAD, SAYING: "I have seen Catalin Botezatu's tree at the presentation and then I decided that we were going to get it no matter how much it would cost - it's for children." VARIOUS OF CATALIN BOTEZATU'S CHRISTMAS TREE
- Embargoed: 24th December 2016 13:07
- Keywords: Christmas tree auction charity Romania
- Location: BUCHAREST, ROMANIA
- City: BUCHAREST, ROMANIA
- Country: Romania
- Reuters ID: LVA0015C5WJLL
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The 16th Christmas tree auction took place in the Romanian capital of Bucharest on Thursday (December 8) with more than 100 businesses taking part in order to secure one of the 27 individual trees, which were exclusively designed by national artists for the occasion.
Organised by the Romanian branch of international children's charity 'Save the Children', the auctions aims at promoting children's right to receive education and attend school.
"In the end, this is the goal of our festival: ensuring the right of education for children who, due to the economical situation of their parents or other social kind of problems, can't afford to attend school," Gabriela Alexandrescu, President of Save the Children Romania, told Reuters TV.
Artist Catalin Botezatu's tree received the highest bid of the evening, being sold for 127.500 euros to pharmaceutical company Catena - the highest price ever achieved during the Christmas tree auction.
"I have seen Catalin Botezatu's tree at the presentation and then I decided that we were going to get it no matter how much it would cost - it's for children," Anca Vlad, general manager of Catena, explained the company's bid.
In total the charity was able to raise 520.000 euros, more than double of the money raised in 2015. It will be used for various programmes of the charity, mainly for educational ones.
Romania has one the highest rates of child poverty in the European Union, with 43 Save the Children charity centres operating throughout the country. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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