In amongst the business of politics, Europe’s finance ministers also find time to send out a positive message about increasing support for voluntary activities. On the occasion of the Informal ECOFIN taking place in Berlin today and tomorrow, Finance Minister Peer Steinbrück, who is chairing the meeting, and his European colleagues personally signed a Buddy Bear bearing the flags of Europe. The bear designed by artist Andre Bitter was then presented to the Stiftung KinderHerz Deutschland, a charity for children suffering from heart conditions. The organisation will auction the bear to support its charitable work.
Sylvia Paul, the director of Stiftung KinderHerz, accepted the Buddy Bear on behalf of the charity. To show her organisation’s appreciation, Ms Paul presented Minister Steinbrück, in his capacity as chair of the ECOFIN Council, with a terracotta heart.
Ms Paul said that approximately one in a hundred babies is born with heart disease in Germany. She said that means around 7,000 children suffered from heart defects each year. According to Ms Paul, the finance ministers’ gift will help to raise valuable funds in support of child heart surgery and cardiology in Germany. She added that the finance ministers were therefore receiving an honorary heart in recognition of their support for the charity. Minister Steinbrück expressed his hope that as many people as possible would participate in the auction of the Buddy Bear in order to raise a large amount of money for child heart disease.
The Minister thanked Ms Paul for her organisation’s tremendous charity work, which helps to improve the support for many children with heart disease.
The Stiftung KinderHerz Deutschland will release details about the auction shortly.
