A lot of feeling and a Christmassy atmosphere: yesterday, numerous celebrities came together at the “Ein Herz für Kinder” donation gala. They raised a proud sum of money for the benefit of children.
Berlin – Shortly before the end of the program, the time has come: The designated Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) pulls the foil from the red heart and thus reveals the donation amount.
Celebrities collected around 27.6 million euros for children in need and social aid projects on the eve of the second Advent in the show broadcast live by ZDF. This is announced by the presenter Johannes B. Kerner and Scholz on ZDF on Saturday evening. That is around 1.6 million euros more than last year and, according to the organizers, a record amount.
In the evening, Scholz also gives the laudation for the honorary award, which goes to the more than 48,000 child nurses in Germany. “You deserve all my respect,” says Scholz. “In conversations with many nurses, I keep hearing how difficult the working conditions are, how great the stress and how great the overload they have to contend with.” The federal government will do everything to ensure that the nurses do their work society as a whole is gaining more attention and its situation is improving.
In addition, the Federal Chancellor-designate calls for vaccinations. Vaccinations protect those who could not be vaccinated and those are the very young children, says Scholz. The SPD politician was only seen on Wednesday with a vaccination appeal on a broadcast by the entertainers Joko and Klaas.
They are not there at the donation gala, but around 80 other celebrities, including Wladimir Klitschko (45). He takes the stage with little Noah. “If you win, you put your hand up,” says the ex-boxing star. Together with the six-year-old, he raises his arm: Noah received a donor heart around two years ago. At that time, Klitschko had already visited the boy in the hospital. Now he meets him again on the stage of the fundraising gala “A Heart for Children”.
Also this year, celebrities like actress Uschi Glas (77) and presenter Sophia Thomalla (32) receive the evening via the donation calls. Due to the corona, they sit a long way apart on sofas and armchairs. Musically it will be with pop singer Roland Kaiser (69). Together with the actors Axel Prahl (61) and Jan Josef Liefers (57) he sings the Christmas song “So this is Christmas”. The pianist Lang Lang (39) plays a piece by the composer Johannes Brahms together with his wife.
From a political point of view, the gala is not only attended by top-class Scholz: the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen (63) is also visiting. She presents Jutta Speidel with the golden heart for her life’s voluntary work. The actress has been committed to homeless women and their children for over 20 years.
Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig (47) speaks at the gala about her cancer. “I know myself how difficult the fight against cancer is, also for the whole family,” says Schwesig in an interview with young Leonie, who had leukemia. “The children often gave me courage during that time, because if they can do it, then as an adult you really have to make it.” The Prime Minister gives the girl an angel figure and calls on them to be typified as a stem cell donor.
The “A Heart for Children” campaign launched by the “Bild” newspaper has existed since 1978. Because of the corona pandemic, the donation gala will take place this year without an audience in the hall. dpa
