A letter to Santa Claus, Humanitarian Lunch in Athens

Athens, 1 December 2006 - The Christmas season in Athens started on the 1st of December with the humanitarian lunch organized by Lifeline Hellas Humanitarian Organization at the Grande Bretagne Hotel in the presence of Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander II and Crown Princess Katherine of Yugoslavia.

The aim of this humanitarian lunch was to raise funds for continuation of urgent modernization of the neonatal emergency care units of hospitals in Serbian cities of Belgrade, Nis, Novi Sad and Kragujevac (NICU Project), which will be concluded in 2007.

Organized for the third year in a row, this unique event included the participation and support of Greek companies who were responsible to decorate their tables with own creativity and taste, creating an exquisitely beautiful effect. The luncheon attendees were welcomed by the President of the Board of Directors of Lifeline Hellas Mr. John Trikardos, HE Mr. Milan Parivodic, Serbian Minister of International Economic Relations, and HRH Crown Prince Alexander II, followed by HRH Crown Princess Katherine, whose speeches gave a special flavour to this event.

The guests also had the opportunity to enjoy the famous Greek maestro Mr. George Katsaros with his saxophone, along with a quartet. A special movie showing the deliveries of previously donated medical equipment as part of the NICU Project was also shown.

Among the attendees were: HE Mr. Milan Parivodic, Serbian Minister of International Economic Relations, Mr. Panos Panayiotopoulos, Member of the Hellenic Parliament and former Minister of Labour, Mr. Vassilis Rizas, General Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Mrs. Marianna Vardinoyannis, Ambassador of UNESCO in Greece, H.E. Ambassador of France in Greece Mr. Bruno Delle, H.E. Ambassador of Serbia to Greece Mrs. Ljiljana Bacevic, Mrs. Lana Mandilas, Mrs. Tonia Kanelopoulou, Deputy-Mayor of Athens, Mrs. Ioanna Despotopoulou, President of Special Olympics Hellas, Mr. Vassilis Despotopoulos President of ELPA, Mrs. Liza Evert, Mrs. Sissy Pavlopoulou, and many other guests.

The sponsors of the event were the following companies: VICKY MICHALIS, L’ARTE DI ARTEMIDE, LECTA ADVERTISING Co, SEMELI ESTATES, HELLINOEKTIPOTIKI, V.S. KAROULIAS AVEEP, STUDIO KOMINIS, DELUXE MAGAZINE and COCA-COLA 3E.

The Greek companies which supported this event were: ASA DEVELOPMENT AE, ATE Bank, ATE Insurance, BODYLINE, CARTIER HELLAS, CITROEN HELLAS, ECTS GLION, EUROBANK EFG, FOLLI FOLLIE, KOSMOCAR SA – BENTLEY ATHENS, MC CAIN, MODA MAGNUM SA, MOTOR OIL HELLAS, NAVIOS MARITIME HOLDINGS INC, NESTLE HELLAS SA, NOTOS GALLERIES, NUCLEAR ASSET MANAGEMENT, UBS AG, Α.Α.DAΝΟU, AMALIEION FOUNDATION, ANT1, E. MALAMATINAS & SON AEVE, EMPORIKI BANK, “MARIA TSAKOS” FOUNDATION, KOURTIS, N.PAPAPOSTOLOU LTD, OPAP SA, PLOUMIS-SOTIROPOULOS OE.

The donors who supported this event were: Mrs. Frida Athanasiades, Mrs. Elli and Linda Capsis, Mrs. Georgia Damaskou, Mrs. Dimitra Damaskou, Mrs. Antigone Danou, Mrs. Titi Danou-Toursoutzian, Mr. and Mrs. Anti and Dora Economides, Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas and Matti Egon, Mrs. Aikaterini Goulandris, Mrs. Sophie Hadjinikolaou, Mr. Nikitas Kaklamanis, Mrs. Kaiti Kamhi, Mrs. Nantia Karela, Dr. and Mrs. Alexander Karidis, Mrs. Nano Kougioumtzoglou, Mrs. Katerina Lanara, Mrs. Eri Mandila, Mrs. Katerina Papastefanou, Mrs. Mara Pentzou, Mrs. Della Runick, Mrs. Roumpini Simopoulou, Mrs. Zoe Stefanou, Mrs. Lilian Zelou.