NATO Bazaar raises record funds for charities
The NATO Charity Bazaar donated €188,000 to support Belgian and international charities on 23 January, at a ceremony attended by the Deputy Secretary General Claudio Bisogniero and Mrs Anne-Mette Rasmussen.
“Last year’s Bazaar raised more money than ever,” explains Mrs Rasmussen, wife of the NATO Secretary General and patron of the Bazaar. “At a time when we are living through the worst economic crises in a generation, this is a particularly impressive achievement. All the charities we have chosen are providing invaluable assistance to people in need here in Belgium, as well as in many other countries across the world.”
A non-profit organization, the NATO Charity Bazaar started 43 years ago. It raises funds by selling donated items throughout the year but particularly at a staple of the NATO calendar, the Christmas bazaar.
“It’s the biggest social event at NATO HQ and it is for the entire NATO family,” says Robbin Warner, coordinator of the bazaar and tombola. Over 5000 NATO employees, families and friends attend the bazaar that includes stands by each participating nation, tombola and an international restaurant – always a popular attraction.
“This year 23 nations provided a sample of their local cuisine,” explains Warner. “The Italian delegation offered homemade lasagne and tiramisu, the Slovakian stand had amazing sausages, and the Spanish made paella in a gigantic pan that they dance with down the hallways drawing people into the cafeteria like Spanish Pied Pipers.”
Since 2005 the NATO Charity Bazaar has donated over €900,000 to some 150 Belgian and international charities. This year, 27 charities from as far afield as Afghanistan, Haiti and Mozambique received donation cheques. A team of eight people alongside patrons and honorary presidents organize the annual event with contributions of stands and gifts from the non-profit organization’s 36 member nations, which include Allies and some partner countries.
Many of the charities work with children, particularly those with special needs, young girls in need of education and educational supplies, as well as maternal healthcare. “Selecting charities is a year-long process for us,” explains Warner. “In choosing charities to support, we look for organizations where our limited funds can make the greatest impact.”
“Being part of the bazaar has been one of the highlights of my stay here in Brussels,” she says adding that last Christmas was her third and final bazaar, before heading back to the United States with her husband. “It has allowed me to get to know NATO, both as an entity and as a family. Through the bazaar I met people from every member nation and Partners for Peace -- something that I never would have been able to do from any other activity.”