Laureus raises over €480,000 for young people in Switzerland
November 18, 2013
The evening started with a minute’s silence for departed friend of Laureus Claude Nobs. It ended with over €480,000 being raised to support the Sport for Good work he was so passionate about.
At this weekend’s Laureus Charity Gala in Switzerland, sport celebrities from across the world came together to raise funds for the Laureus Foundation Switzerland and celebrate the work Laureus promotes in changing young lives through sport.
Over 600 guests gave their support at this seventh annual charity gala including IWC CEO Georges Kern, Laureus Academy Members Edwin Moses, Nadia Comaneci and Laureus Ambassadors such as Fabian Cancellara, Sarah Meier, Edith Wolf-Hunkeler, Bertand Piccard and Stéphane Chapuisat.
The donation total of just over €480,000 will aid the Foundation?s sports projects promoting the integration and personal development of children and young people in Switzerland. The Foundation is currently helping more than 10,000 children prepare themselves for life?s challenges.
Early this year, Laureus Ambassador in Switzerland Claude Nobs died, and the evening’s entertainment was a celebration of another of his life’s passions: music.
In the hangar of the Aviation Museum at Dübendorf, those gathered enjoyed with musical highlights Claude himself would have been delighted by such as Pepe Lienhard & Orchestra provided a thrilling atmosphere of swing and jazz and special guests Nubya and Nicole Bernegger adding their soulful notes to the programme as well.
Of course, the real participants, the children, had to be there on the night as well. And in a series of personal interviews, Laureus project children reported on their experiences, hopes and dreams.
Reflecting on these touching messages, Rolf Theiler, Chairman of the Laureus Foundation Switzerland, said: “Through the power of sport we want to give children and young people greater self-confidence and self awareness.”
The funds were raised through the auction of some truly unique items. These included a platinum IWC Portuguese minute repeater watch, participation in the DTM season kick-off races including a test run with a Mercedes-Racing-Professional, VIP tickets to the FIFA World Cup in Brazil, and a blind auction of signed, personal objects, including Tony Hawk?s skateboard and Wladimir Klitschko?s boxing gloves.
