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[WATCH] L-Istrina breaks records - over €4 million raised
Annual l-Istrina charity telethon breaks all previous records by amassing more than €4 million for this year's edition
Last updated on 26 December 2015, 4:41pm
Staff Reporter
Staff Reporter
2 min read
President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca delivers a speech. Photo: Ray Attard
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat delivers a speech at the 2015 Istrina. Photo: Ray Attard
Opposition leader Simon Busuttil delivers a speech at the 2015 Istrina. Photo: Ray Attard
Archbishop Charles Scicluna delivers a speech at the 2015 Istrina. Photo: Ray Attard
Video is unavailable at this time.
The annual L-Istrina charity campaign made good on its target to break the previous record of €3.65 million in donations, eventually amassing more than €4 million as the telethon concluded a few minutes past midnight.
The record sum exceeded the €3.65 milion raised during l-Istrina 2014.
Themed 'Faith, Hope, and Charity', the 17th edition of the telethon event raised more than €4.02 million as donations were still trickling in after the transmission ended.
"Thank you is not enough .. The generosity of the Maltese public fuels me with energy," President of the Republic Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca said at the end of the event.
The charity event kicked off at noon, with Coleiro Preca hailing the “generosity and solidarity unique to the Maltese people”.
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat expressed his appreciation for people who donate from the little that they have to a good cause, while Opposition leader Simon Busuttil called on the public to “act as one big family” to support those in need. Archbishop Charles Scicluna urged the public to “keep the tradition of love” alive in the country.
The event - themed 'Faith, Hope and Chairty' - was held at the Cottonera Sports Complex. Parallel events took place in Gozo.
Several personalities, including local entertainers and politicians, answered phone calls from the public.
€1,12 million was collected by 3:45pm, including €150,000 from Bank of Valletta raised through the annual Istrina piggy bank campaign. At 9.20pm, the amount stood at over two and a half million euros.
€400,200 was raised through the auctioning of 75 Volvo cars that were used to transport leaders and diplomats during last month’s Commonwealth and African migration summits, while €188,000 were raised during the Paqpaqli Ghal Istrina event last October.
Proceeds from l-Istrina donations go to the Malta Community Chest Fund, a foundation operated by the Office of the President that finances cancer treatment for people who cannot afford the costs.
