Home | First lady | Activities of Silvia Gašparovičová | Year 2012 | Good News carolers in the Presidential Palace
President Ivan Gašparovič and his wife Mrs. Silvia Gašparovičová welcomed also this year on 4 January 2012 Good News carollers, who brought the presidential couple God’s blessings and good wishes for the 2012. This voluntary action aimed at helping people in Africa was for the 17th time organized by the children’s organisation eRko – Christian Children Communities Movement in collaboration with Catholic parishes.
Director and the Good News project leader Mr. Marián Čaučík was pleased to note that the good news of Jesus’ birth they could bring also this year to the Presidential Palace. Over 26 thousand Good News carollers from all over Slovakia were in the headquarters of the head of state represented by carolers from Považany, Liptovské Sliače and Dolná Ždaňa. As Marian Čaučík informed, last year the little carolers collected over 848,000 euros. "Thanks to the generosity of Slovak families, which themselves are not rich, we might be able to support 34 development projects in Kenya, Southern Sudan, Uganda, Ethiopia," he said.
President Ivan Gašparovič expressed his pleasure that the meeting with Good News carollers at the beginning of the year has already become a tradition. As he noted, he is always pleased when he sees young people who are responsible and who don´t think only of a game. He expressed his appreciation to young carollers and organizers for that they collect gifts for those who can not get them for theirselves. In this context Ivan Gašparovič recalled the words of his New Year speech that - "the worst is when someone has nobody else. And you’re the ones who find those peers who till now had anyone, who would say a nice word to them, and even give them a gift. Donations your are picking are really rare, they will be used for people to help them – to study, whether to get back health," said the Slovak President. The presidential couple also donated to the Good News collection account 300, - Euros.
Small carolers from the 24th December till 6th January are visiting households throughout Slovakia to raise as much money they can to help the people of South Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda. This year will be the Good News project especially focused on Southern Sudan, which became independent in July and becomed the newest and one of the poorest countries in the world. During his seventeen years of history, Good News project has grown to become the largest Slovak public collection to help Africa and one of the largest volunteer events in Slovakia. |
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