by Alexia Vlachou
ATHENS, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- A total amount of 35,000 euros (4,164 U.S. dollars) raised during a charity concert in Brussels to support the initiative "Fuel for Schools" was handed over to Greece on Monday to provide heating fuel to schools in remote villages in the northern part of Greece.
For the sixth year, the nonprofit association "12 Hours for Greece" organized a sold-out music concert with the participation of exceptional artists from Greece on Nov. 11 in the European capital. Hundreds of people attended the event.
"With the support of the Greek community in Belgium, Belgian and other foreign citizens who are fond of Greece, we managed to collect 31,000 euros last year, and we helped supply with fuel 40 schools in the north of Greece. In those 40 schools, there are approximately 7,000 children," Jimmy Jamar, head of the European Commission Representation in Belgium and organizer of the "12 Hours for Greece" initiative told a press conference here on Monday.
The check with the 35,000 euros was handed over to Aspasia Leventis, founder and president of "International Foundation for Greece" which has undertaken the task to deliver fuel to schools in remote villages in the northern part of Greece.
"This year we have 250 applications from schools," Leventis stressed. Every year the foundation receives more and more requests to join the program, as she added.
"It is our moral duty to support such wonderful initiatives that promote Greece and help financially Greek organizations that do not have the means," Panos Carvounis, head of European Commission Representation in Greece said.
The association was created in the spring of 2012 with two main objectives.
"We try not only to bring the fuel, we also try in these villages in northern Greece to create some links between the schools in Greece and the schools and municipalities in Belgium. This is important to create some ties," Jammar said.
Due to economic crisis that has hit the country, hundreds of schools do not have the means to purchase heating fuel for the classrooms.
During the last months, the situation was alarming due to heavy storms that hit many parts of Greece, Samothrace included.
Jammar announced that part of the money raised will be allocated to help families in Samothrace whose houses were damaged by the storms. In addition, they work with the Greek authorities to support the flood victims in the suburb of Mandra in western Attica that were severely damaged by the deadly floods two weeks ago through programs developed in the European Commission. (1 euro=1.19 U.S. dollar)
