Updated | Record-breaking €3.6 million collected at l-Istrina

The annual l-Istrina charity telethon at MCC • Video by Chris Mangion

[SLIDESHOW] All photos by Chris Mangion

The 2014 L-Istrina campaign has raised a record of over €3,656,000 million in donations as of 12:30am, surpassing last year's donation record of €3,414,386.

"The Maltese population have once again showed how unique we are in the world when it comes to displaying love and solidarity with our suffering brethren," President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca said. "We were all one united team tonight. We showed yet again that Christmas for us is not only about giving presents and eating food but about helping those who are less fortunate than us."  

The annual Boxing Day charity telethon event kicked off at noon with the country's leaders urging the public to donate and help those in need.

The €2 million mark was surpassed thanks to some €177,860 collected during Paqpaqli ghall-Istrina.

The President, presiding over her first L-Istrina, had earlier urged the people to donate whilst expressing her appreciation of people coming together to help others.

“Today is a day where Maltese people don’t look at each other’s faces but at those people suffering from sicknesses and other difficulties,” Coleiro Preca said. “This day makes me so proud to be Maltese. Despite all our arguments and disagreements, we show that we are capable of looking after each other.”  

Both Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and Opposition leader Simon Busuttil delivered their words of encouragement.
“You don’t need politicians to urge you to donate,” Muscat said. “Today is not about politics but about common values. This is one of the best days of the year, when the Maltese unite to donate impressive amounts of money to those in need.”

“The Malta Community Chest Fund needs your help so that it can continue helping others,” Busuttil said. “Some day, you may need help yourselves and when that day comes, you will be grateful that the MCCF exists to help you.” 

Former Presidents Eddie Fenech Adami, Ugo Mifsud Bonnici and George Abela also took to the Istrina stage to encourage people to vote.

The HSBC Malta Foundation, main sponsors of L-Istrina, donated a €50,000 cheque to the telethon, along with a further €6,500 raised through staff activities. A total of 60 HSBC Bank Malta’s staff volunteers manned the donation phone lines. 

The Bank of Valletta Piggy Bank Campaign raised €135,000, €65,000 less than it had raised last year.  

L-Istrina donations go to the Malta Community Chest Fund, which is operated by the Office of the President. Coleiro Preca, has spent the past months encouraging people to take on social responsibility and donate to the MCCF. She has pointed out on several occasions that the MCCF is the only national fund that finances cancer treatment for people who cannot afford the costs.

To encourage more businesses to donate to the charity, the President and Finance Minister Edward Scicluna also launched a tax rebate scheme for donations of over €2000. Half the donation will count as a business expense and will qualify for the tax rebate.

Last week, the President also launched the Istrina fund for projects by non-governmental organisations. NGOs will be able to put forward their project proposals towards the end of January and the winning projects will be announced in May.