November 2005
UNESCO Gala 2005 – New commitment overwhelms Director

"Children are the future. We must help them to grow."

This call from American actor and Oscar winner Jeremy Irons received long continuing applause at the 2005 UNESCO Gala on 12 November in aid of UNESCO's programme for the Education of Children in Need. Alongside him were film colleague and Dallas rogue Larry Hagman, and the actress Penelope Cruz, who has taken on the role of Patron for Education.

The program for the evening was presented by the actress Geraldine Chaplin, who has inherited not only her late father's talent but also his social conscience. Against the clock, donations for the evening topped 1.8 million Euro, helped not inconsiderably by the personal generosity of The StratREAL Foundation's Chairman, Pierre Rolin.

At the gala to formally present The StratREAL Foundation's donation to the Foundation for UNESCO - Education for Children in Need, Mr Rolin delighted the assembled celebrities with an unexpected personal donation of 250,000 Euros.

Dr Dieter Berstecher, Executive Director of UNESCO Foundation - Education for Children in Need commented, "I was overwhelmed – I had no idea – no-one knew what Pierre was planning to do. Pierre's generosity and commitment are an example to everyone, and will enable us to undertake significantly more work in the coming years."

Note to editors:

  • The StratREAL Foundation was established in 2003 to help improve the lives of children and young people around the world.
  • The Foundation works to forge relationships with selected partners in order to channel funds to support carefully thought-through projects and programmes that make a tangible difference in the lives of young people.
  • The Foundation also assists philanthropists who wish to make a positive difference in the lives of young people by helping to ensure that their charitable contributions are directed toward projects that have a direct and apparent impact.
  • The StratREAL Foundation works in partnership with the following charities: Learning Through the Arts, New York Academy of Arts, The Prince of Wales Arts & Kids Foundation, The Prince's Drawing School, UNESCO Foundation - Education for Children in Need, VSO.

The Prince of Wales Arts & Kids Foundation

The Prince of Wales Arts & Kids Foundation works to give every child the chance to experience the arts. The arts can give children the chance to step outside themselves and into a world without boundaries. Arts & Kids' work opens the door to the arts to many children who might not otherwise have that chance.