Press Release
Antwerp Diamond Community presents a cheque of € 175.112 to the Belgian Red Cross.
Liège, November 16th, 2021 – Today the Antwerp Diamond Community presented a cheque of € 175.112 to the Red Cross of Belgium. The support is specifically destined for the victims of the summer floods, that mainly affected Wallonia. The handing over of the cheque took place in a former hospital at Montegnée in the province of Liège, where the Belgian Red Cross opened a shelter. The shelter houses two hundred homeless victims, including families with children. They can temporarily stay here during the coming cold fall and winter months.
After the devastating floods, the Red Cross from Flanders and Wallonia joined forces to coordinate the emergency aid through the joint solidarity action “helping helps”. Seven Antwerp diamond organisations worked together to support the victims of the floods. “This initiative grew from the bottom up and these sector organisations provided a concrete structure. Upon request of several diamantaires a campaign was launched to support the relief fund of the Red Cross of Belgium,” says Nader Murad, Antwerp diamantaire. “Many companies and individuals from the diamond community made a donation to the project account 2525, with the statement ‘Antwerp Diamond Community’.”
As a bank providing financial services to the diamond sector, ABN AMRO also contributed. “The images of the floods last summer touched us deeply. ABN AMRO in Belgium supports wholeheartedly the initiative from the diamond sector to offer financial support to the affected community. We are all part of society and we all want to help those who were affected the most,” says Geert Van Reisen, ABN AMRO Belgium.
School supplies for primary and secondary schools.
“All of the donated funds go entirely to the victims of the disaster through different projects hosted by the Croix-Rouge de Belgique and are part of an approved action plan,” says Christian De Coster, director of the ‘Flood Response’ hub of the Croix-Rouge de Belgique. “Not only do we provide temporary housing, food aid, aid to the most vulnerable victims in the affected municipalities and local projects, but we also provide 2 million Euro to the affected schools. With this money meals are provided for the school kids in the 134 affected schools and we also provide pedagogical material.”
Melissa Smet, organising member of the Young Diamantaires, looks back at the successful fundraising campaign. “Not just big diamond companies, but also individual employees and young entrepreneurs donated. It shows how the devasting disaster touched the whole diamond community.” She adds:” With this support action the Antwerp diamond community shows the warm heart it has for the victims of the floods. We want to thank all the people who donated to the account of the Croix-Rouge de Belgique. Together we made this operation a success.”
How can I still support the Croix-Rouge de Belgique financially?
The Antwerp diamond community project ended for now. But you can still donate to the account BE70 0000 0000 2525 (BIC: BPOTBE1) of the Croix-Rouge de Belgique. For every amount of € 40 or more you will receive a fiscal certificate in March 2022. With this certificate your gift is 45% fiscally deductible.