PARIS GALA DINNER IN AID OF NEONATAL UNITS IN SERBIA

Paris, 5 June 2007 – The fundraising Gala Dinner to benefit Lifeline humanitarian Organization whose patron is HRH Crown Princess Katherine, was organized in the former Tremouille Palace, Residence of the Ambassador of Serbia, for the purpose of purchasing essential equipment for neonatal units in Serbia.

The event was initiated by Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander II and Crown Princess Katherine and with the generous help of His Excellency Mr. Predrag Simic Ambassador of Serbia to France and his wife Mrs. Jasminka Simic and Mrs. Duska Milicevic, with special thanks for all their wonderful help from Her Royal Highness Princess Sybilla of Luxembourg and Her Serene Highness Princess Isabelle of Liechtenstein who also made this event possible.

HE Mr. Predrag Simic, Ambassador of Serbia in France, welcomed the guests and emphasized: “It is a great pleasure to have the opportunity to host this important event to benefit children of Serbia and to connect our country with the European Union. Hopefully this event will be important part of the history of our Residency“, and announced Crown Prince Alexander II.

HRH Crown Prince Alexander II expressed his warmest gratitude to HE Mr. Predrag Simic, Ambassador of Serbia, his wife Mrs. Jasminka Simic and Mrs. Duska Milicevic for making this event successful, as well as to HRH Princess Sybilla of Luxembourg and HSH Princess Isabella of Liechtenstein who gave their greatest effort to help the children of Serbia.

“This evening is a very important evening to save babies lives dedicated to help neonatal units in Serbia. Sadly we have a many premature births in Serbia and the highest infant mortality rate in Europe. This is due to the former conflict when mothers understandably could not raise children in such difficult times and conditions. Now the mothers are older and cannot carry their baby’s full term. We also have a negative population growth and this is very serious. The neonatal project will help a lot” – pointed out HRH Crown Prince Alexander in his speech.

The special flavour to the evening gave Mrs. Marija Serifovic who performed a winning Eurovision song “Molitva”, while Mr. Igor Trifunov, famous magician from Serbia entertained the guests. During the programme guests participated in the auction of paintings prepared by famous Serbian painters: Mr. Bata Mihajlovic, Mr. Petar Omãikus, Mr. Ljuba Popoviç and Mr. Wladimir Veliãkovic, while Novak Djokovic and Ana Ivanovic offered their tennis rackets that were sold on the auction.

The invitation was accepted by many members of European Royal Families and European nobility, as well as the intellectual and business community.

Members of the Committee of Honour are: HSH Princess of d’Arenberg, HSH Arch Duke Lorenz Este of Austria, Duchess of Ayen, HRH Princess Beatrice of Bourbon, Madame Bouygues, HRH Duchess of Calabria, Countess de Castries, Madame Chirac, HRH Prince Joachim of Denmark, HRH Princess of Greece, HSH Princess of Liechenstein, Their Royal Highnesses Prince Robert and Princess of Luxembourg, HRH Princess of Luxembourg, spouse of HRH Guillaume of Luxembourg, Madame Doushka Milicevic, Marquise de Nicolay, Countess of Ornano, Madame Pastor, HRH Princess Poniatowski, Madame Ricard, Countess de Roquemaurel, Baroness Seillière, Madam Sekerevski, Madam Walter, Madame Weiller, Madame Wertheimer, HRH Philippe, Duke of Württemberg and HRH Princess Barbara of Yugoslavia.

This event is helped by many donors and sponsors world wide, such as: Mr. Wladimir Mollof from Arjil Bank, Cartier, Cave Bernard Massard, Chanel, Christofle, Clarence Dillon Wine, Comme des Garcons, Courrèges, Daum, Giambattista Valli, John Galliano, Lenôtre, Lorenz Baümer, Maria Louisa, Mina Poe, Alexandre Niklan, Options, Mrs. Doushka Milicevic from Revillon, Sisley, Sotheby’s, Yves Saint-Laurent, Zoran Bosanac, Mrs Tanja Acin, painters from Serbia such as: Mr. Bata Mihailoviç, Mr. Petar Omãikus, Mr. Ljuba Popoviç and Mr. Wladimir Veliãkovic, Mr. John Trikardos, President of Lifeline board, Mrs Katerina Malamatina, gold donor of Lifeline Hellas, “Alpina company” from Serbia, Mrs. Zlata Stepanov “Emplast company” from Serbia, Sirdar Aly Aziz from UK, Mrs. Izabella Clemente, Sir Ronald Grierson, Mr. As Waley-Cohen, Mrs. Christina Knudsen, Mr. Hans-Joerg Rudloff, Mr. Michael and Mrs. Loula Chandris, Lord and Lady Evelyn de Rothschild, Honourable Sir Rocco and Lady Forte, Dr. and Mrs. Spiro Latsis, Mr. and Mrs. Spiro Metaxas, Mr. and Mrs. Petros Poulmentis, and Madame Catherine Delannoy.

Guests of honour: Mrs. Alison Andrews, daughter of HRH Crown Princess Katherine, Prof. Dr. Afksendios Kalangos, Duchesse Daniella DiRoyale Bucquoi, HE Jean Cadet, French Ambassador in Greece with his spouse, Mrs. Zeta Antsaklis, Mrs. Frida Athanasiadis, Mr. and Mrs. Davlas, Mrs. Zoe Stefanou, Mrs. Carole Davis, Baron François-Xavier de Sambucy de Sorgue, Mr. George Devlin and Mrs. Pat Fisher,