Qipa supports UniCredit Tiriac Bank, UniCredit and HOSPICE Casa Sperantei on the 2nd edition of the “1000 Balkan Charity Challenge”
- The 2nd edition of the “1000 Balkan Charity Challenge”, the unique charity multi-day cross-country ultra-duathlon, is taking place between 1 and 11 November 2013. The participants run and cycle through over 1000km on the territory of Romania and Bulgaria.
- Qipa, next to other companies and individuals contributes to the 18 social causes (12 in Romania and 6 in Bulgaria) supported this year. Qipa participation refers to sponsoring Florin Nastase’s participation: subscription fee, equipment, accommodation, food and transport.
- Social projects have been carefully selected along with the sponsors and include critical social spheres such as children, old people and disabled people care, education, talent development, poor people support. Last year EUR 24k were raised.
- HOSPICE Casa Sperantei is the main charity partner in Romania and this year is raising funds for providing 60 children with life limiting illnesses will with free specialized multisensory sessions, in order to alleviate pain and other distressing symptoms associated with the incurable disease and the severe physical disabilities in the new Hospice facility in Bucharest. The charity partner in Bulgaria is the Bulgarian Charities Aid Foundation.
- UniCredit entities in Romania and Bulgaria are the main sponsors of the event as part of the traditional annual charity Gift Matching campaign raising and matching tens of thousands of Euros for projects in the community where they operate.
1000 Balkan Charity is a cross country event and is organized under the auspices and with the support of HOSPICE Casa Sperantei Association and UniCredit Tiriac Bank in Romania and by Bulgarian Charities Aid Foundation and UniCredit Bulbank in Bulgaria.
Its goals are:
- To promote sport, particularly outdoor activity, as an available and proven alternative of a healthy life style
- Through sport to develop charity culture and raise funds for carefully selected charity causes:12 causes in Romania and 6 causes in Bulgaria
- Connect people in two neighboring countries
- Developing environmental consciousness planting unique critically endangered trees at the end of each daily course – Ginkgo Biloba and Meta Sequoya.
- Establish a tradition in our geographical area of testing the human body, mind and spirit through an extreme challenge.
The Duathlon is a hard exertion and an unforgettable adventure. This year its course covers 1050km in Romania and Bulgaria passing the Danube river two times through the two bridges connecting Romania and Bulgaria (Giurgiu-Ruse and Calafat-Vidin) and two times the Balkan Mt using different routes. The total positive altitude difference is near 3500m. The event is held in 11 days: 4 days cycling 160km/day and 7 days running 60km/day. The start is on 1 November at 7.00am in Bucharest at Bul. Expozitiei opposite to the EXPO center, where is also the finish on 11 November at around 5.00pm. The group reaches Sofia (Sveta Nedelya Sq. opposite to the St Nedelya church) at around 5.30pm on 4 November and is starting back to Bucharest at the same place on 5 November at 7.30am.