LIFELINE NEW YORK AND BODOSSAKI FOUDATION’S BENEFIT DINNER FOR VICTIMS OF GREEK WILDFIRES

Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine, together with Lifeline New York Humanitarian Organization and Bodossaki Foundation, organized a benefit dinner for the victims of this summer’s tragic wildfires in Athens, at the “Merakia” restaurant in New York.

The event was honoured with the presence of Her Excellency Ambassador Maria Theofili Permanent Mission of Greece to the United Nations.

“My husband and I are very glad to be with all of you tonight, and to be of help and to support the victims of the wildfires in Greece. As long as the Greek community outside of Greece is alive, it will always stay strong and determined for the country of their ancestors. Solidarity and humanity for all men, women and children who suffer, those are the virtues more solid than stone”, said HRH Crown Princess Katherine.

A series of wildfires in Greece, during the 2018 European heat wave, began in the coastal areas of Attica in July 2018. As of 12 September, 99 people were confirmed dead. The fires were the second-deadliest wildfire in the 21st century, after the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires in Australia that killed 180.

The relations between Serbia and Greece have always been strong. HRH Crown Prince Alexander’s grandfather was a Greek King – HM King Alexander of the Hellenes, his mother HM Queen Alexandra of Yugoslavia was born in Athens and his grandmother was HRH Princess Aspasia of Greece (née Aspasia Manos). HRH Crown Princess Katherine was born in Athens as well, and His Majesty King Constantine of the Hellenes was the best man at Their Royal Highnesses’ wedding in London on 21 September 1985.

The Bodossaki Foundation is one of the most respected privately owned public-benefit organisations in Greece. It was established in 1972 by Prodromos – Bodossakis Athanassiades, who decided to donate his entire fortune in order to promote the provision of health care, equality of opportunity, education, scientific progress and the protection of the environment. The Bodossaki Foundation has deep knowledge of the non-profit sector in Greece and has managed since its inception more than €400m that has been spent placing great emphasis on decreasing inequality of opportunity; on contributing to the education of young people; on improving medical and research infrastructure and on promoting environmental protection. The Foundation also supports the work of NGOs that treat socially vulnerable groups and has lately set the strengthening of civil society as one of its primary objectives.