Dinner “Rare Night” 28th February 2013 at the Hôtel des Trois Couronnes in Vevey
The evening was exceptional! Thanks to the fabulous energy spread by Dr. Olivier Menzel, President and founder of the BLACKSWAN Foundation and to the amazing and generous enthusiasm of those present at the first dinner “Rare Night”, the cause of research on rare diseases has reached a double goal: increasing awareness of the Foundation’s cause and its compelling needs for research, as well as raising funds for a project already supported in the past on the syndrome of atypical Rett disease.
The evening has been dominated by emotional moments from laughter a number of personalities had a very heightened sense of humor – to unshed tears – during the speech of a father who shared his experience and the reality confronting his daughter suffering from a rare disease. The focus on this reality that affects 500,000 people in Switzerland reached the guests’ heart.
The « Rare Night » has raised CHF 50,000, thanks to our guests’ generous contributions and to the original auction of a Franck Bouroullec’s painting of 4 m2. The painter-performer and ambassador of the BLACKSWAN Foundation painted live, in less than 5 minutes, a portrait of Salvador Dali. All personalities offered indeed a unique opportunity to share with the winners of the raffle a rare moment: Stephane Lambiel, Brigitte Rosset, Sabrina Guilloud, David Cunado, Yann Lambiel, Nadine Thalmann, Frédéric Recrosio, Maria Mettral Jonas Schneiter, Cuche and Barbezat, Thierry Romanens, Thierry Barrigue all of them donated a rare gift: e.g. Frédéric Recrosio will cook for 8 at home. Yann Lambiel will present his one-man show for 20 in the living room of the winner, Stéphane Lambiel provides an introduction to skating, Thierry Barrigue offers 4 custom designs made with the winner, Jonathan Jaquet provides an introduction to judo, etc..
Nadine Thalmann, beautiful mistress of ceremonies, led the evening masterfully, despite the « light » attempts of distractions from Benjamin Cuche!
If a disease is rare, its cause is a little less since the “Rare Night” evening, an occasion where everyone has generously shared a great moment of humanity.
Pictures of the evening.
Press:
Video of the evening by Kin Artos