HUMANITARIAN EVENT IN THESSALONICA TO SAVE NEWBORN BABIES IN SERBIA

Thessalonica, 11 May 2007 – A very important charity event was organized last night by Lifeline Hellas Humanitarian Organization at the Thessalonica Music Hall in the presence and under the patronage of Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine.

The aim of this humanitarian endeavor of HRH Crown Princess Katherine is for Lifeline Hellas to help reduce vital shortages in the hospitals of Serbia. This humanitarian event will benefit the continuation of support to upgrade the Neonatal Intensive Care Units in Serbia. This is the fourth event for this project which was initiated in 2006 following the successful evening, organized in late January 2006 at the Megaro Mela in Athens with the cooperation of the National Bank of Greece.

Lifeline Hellas in cooperation with the Hellenic and Serbian Medical Organizing Committee are in charge of this project and believe in the need to urgently accomplish this essential task. Lifeline is very grateful for the support and interest both from the business community and individuals they gave to this important project, dedicated to save babies’ lives, which led to the supply of 16 hospitals in 4 Serbian cities with medical equipment.

The following had addressed the guests: Mr. John Trikardos President of the Board of Directors of Lifeline Hellas; both HRH Crown Prince Alexander and HRH Crown Princess Katherine, welcomed the gala attendees and gave a special flavour to this event with their speeches. Short speeches were also delivered by HE Mr. George Kalaitzis, the Minister of Macedonia-Thrace; Mr. Radomir Zivkovic, the Consul General of Serbia in Thessalonica; HE Mr. Panayiotis Psomiadis, the Prefecture of Thessalonica, and Mr. Papageorgopoulos, the Mayor of Thessalonica. Among the attendees were Mr Loukas Ananikas, the General Secretary of Macedonia-Thrace Ministry; and Mr. Nikolas Tsiartsonis, the former Minister of Macedonia-Thrace and member of the Hellenic Parliament.

Guests flowed into the magnificent Thessalonica Music Hall, an outstanding location for this important evening; everyone had the pleasure to hear a beautiful concert by the Kerkezos Saxophone Quartet, and also, with great interest, to watch a special Lifeline film depicting the current humanitarian situation in Serbia, which is very tragic and serious, as Serbia has the highest infant mortality in Europe.

The sponsors of the Gala were the following companies: HELLINOEKTIPOTIKI, AEGEAN AIRLINES, ELECTRA PALACE HOTEL THESSALONIKI, TSIOUSTAS, PLIAFAS, ROBORENT, ADAMOU ESTATES, A.A. DANOU, and POLIS CATERING.

This important endeavor was supported by many companies such as: MOTOR OIL, DIASTASI SA, EFG EUROBANK, NEOCHIMIKI, N. PAPAPOSTOLOU Ltd, CHAITOGLOU, COSMOCAR, KOURTIS, OLYMPUS PLAZA, and most of the eminent families of Thessalonica and reputed members of the business community of the city.