EUR 112m raised in Dutch tsunami appeal

7 January 2005

AMSTERDAM — Just over EUR 112 million has been donated to the special tsunami appeal in the Netherlands.

Prior to the broadcast, the Dutch public had contributed EUR 64 million  to giro 555, a special bank account shared by a range of Dutch relief agencies, including Dutch Red Cross, UNICEF and Doctors without Borders.

The total after Thursday’s broadcast confirmed the Dutch public’s reputation as generous givers in times of need. A similar appeal for the victims of violence in Kosovo in 1999 was until now the most successful money-raiser when EUR 52 million was donated.

Over 4.5 million people tuned in the peak period during Thursday’s tsunami appeal broadcast on NED 2, RTL 4 and SBS 6.

The police estimate 25,000 people attended a special benefit concert in Amsterdam on Thursday evening. Performers Dinand, Rene van Barneveld and Andy Tieleman opened the event with the Indonesian song Ruayuan Palau Kelapa. Other artists taking part int he concert included Di-rect, Trijntje Oosterhuis, Blof and DJ Tiësto.

Several radio stations changed their names temporarily to Radio 555 on Thursday and raised EUR 5 million in donations.

[Copyright Expatica News]

Subject: Dutch news, Indian Ocean disaster