International Charity Bazaar (ICB) Dublin 2024: Step Into A World Of Global Unity

The International Charity Bazaar (ICB) Dublin 2024 is expected to gain limelight as the main charitable event of the year when organised. On Tuesday, 19th November 2024, a dazzling photocall was held to formally introduce this inspiring and enriching event in Dublin City Hall, Dame Street Dublin.

Led by His Excellency the Most Reverend Archbishop Luis Mariano Montemayor, President of the International Charity Bazaar, this event will bring together participants from diplomatic missions, their families, Irish residents, international guests, and students from Dublin schools for a meaningful day of charity and cultural exchange.

Archbishop Luis Mariano Montemayor welcomed the distinguished guests this year and shed light on the importance of International Charity Bazaar (ICB), stating: “The fundraising began in 2006 and up to now nearly 18 years excluding Covid, this event was successfully held in the right order so as to support both general and specific charity organisations”

A PhotoCall to Launch the Celebration

Heads of missions and members of the diplomatic corps donned traditional costumes reflecting the rich cultural diversity and vibrancy of the countries and communities they represented. Also in attendance were sponsors, representatives from the beneficiaries of this year’s bazaar proceeds, and friends of the International Charity Bazaar.

This vibrant and festive atmosphere was a precursor to the International Charity Bazaar taking place on Sunday, 1st December 2024, at the Royal Dublin Society (RDS) Industries Hall, from 11:00 am to 4:30 pm.

The Photocall launch was hosted by ICB President H.E. Most Reverend Archbishop Luis Mariano Montemayor, alongside ICB Directors: H.E. Ambassador Wan Yusri (Embassy of Malaysia), Marcelo Martin (Embassy of Argentina),, Mary Burke, Hilda Arenas and Siobhan Denham. 

The event was expertly organised by the Bazaar Committee, led by Co-chairs: Hilda Arenas and Intan N Ramli (Charge d’Affaires, Embassy of Malaysia), Mabel Rodriguez Morera, spouse of the Cuban Ambassador), Maribel Lopez (Embassy of Cuba) and Marcelo Martin.

As Ms. Intan Nadia Ramli remarked at the launch event: “It’s wonderful to see so many of you here today, especially members from the diplomatic corps, our sponsors, and the charities as we mark this special occasion to launch the 2024 ICB. We are extremely grateful for your support, and we look forward to celebrating together on December 1st.”

The International Charity Bazaar (ICB): Celebrating Cultures, Supporting Charities

At its heart, the International Charity Bazaar is not just a celebration of global cultures but a powerful fundraising initiative for Irish Charities by the Diplomatic community together with Irish and International Friends designed to support vital charity projects.

This annual event offers an unparalleled opportunity to experience the rich diversity of nations through vibrant cultural displays, traditional food, and handmade crafts, all while fostering a sense of unity and making a tangible difference in people’s lives.

The bazaar will also encompass more than 25 embassies of the world, which represents the respective nations’ individuality. The event ensures every purchase carries not only cultural value but also the spirit of generosity, with proceeds benefiting ICB’s 2024 beneficiaries.

A Festival of Performances

The day is further enriched with nonstop-cultural performances, featuring dances from Eastern Europe, folk songs from Latin America and modern music from Asia. These captivating acts are more than entertainment, they’re celebration of heritage, offering visitors insights into the values and traditions of nations worldwide.

Ticket Information

Raffle tickets will be available at €5 each, which also serves as an entrance ticket to the event. Kids under 12 can join the festivities for free! Your participation helps support this year’s chosen charities, so don’t miss out on this exciting day of cultural celebration and giving.

Exciting Cultural Celebrations

Another interesting subject of the International Charity Bazaar is the opportunity for nonstop cultural performances on the day the event will be held. People may watch lovely dances which will depict all the cultures interesting and captivating songs and live music will also be provided for the visitors. 

Some of the performances to expect are traditional dances from Eastern Europe, folk songs from Latin America and upbeat modern music from Asia. This cultural show shall be an added opportunity through which the visitors shall be privileged with a touch of the specialty and prowess each country has to offer.

These performances are not only meant to entertain but can also provide basic knowledge concerning cultures of societies, and values of different generations. While these lively shows are in progress, people will also be able to interact with the dancers and find out more about their ethnic backgrounds.

The Power of Giving: Supporting Charities

The best thing about the International Charity Bazaar happening in the year 2024 is the fact that it will be run for the purpose of supporting numerous essential community projects. Embassy of Malaysia in Ireland is known to promote food and cultural festivals in collaboration with different sponsors like ASEAN.

Ms. Intan Nadia Ramli thanked the esteemed sponsors that have made this event possible, stating: “As I mentioned earlier, we have our sponsors today with us and we would like to thank them for their presence today. We have representatives from the Dublin City Council. DCC is our platinum sponsor for this year’s International Charity Bazaar.

We also have a representative from EgyptAir, Mr. Mohamed Mostafa in partnership with the Embassy of Egypt as well as from Pakistan Overseas Community (POC) Ireland and Wasper Media. 

We would like to also thank the two ICB Beneficiaries for their presence today, which are Ms. Gemma from the Irish Lung Fibrosis Association and Mr. Mark from McAuley Place.”

The funds raised through this event are a testament to the power of giving, as all proceeds go directly to these deserving organisations. Not only you will have a chance to taste the variety of cultures while visiting the International Charity Bazaar but you also contribute to the stability of our community and support these charitable organizations carrying out their useful work across Ireland.

The entire contributions gathered from the event will go directly to four charities who offer a service that is critically needed in Ireland. These centres are; Autism Awareness Roscrea, Clare Haven Services, Irish Lung Fibrosis Association, McAuley Place.

The Irish Lung Fibrosis Association (ILFA) is a well-recognized charitable organisation which has been providing assistance to the patient & families, suffering from lung fibrosis, for over two decades now. Lung fibrosis is a rather severe disease that is still not diagnosed correctly, with many patients having no access to adequate diagnosis and treatment.

Currently, there is a lack of sponsorship of research, education and direct patient and caregiver support in the area that ILFA addresses. Patient centred, ILFA has continued to provide valuable services and advocacy over and over again.

ILFA fills this gap by sponsoring research, providing education, and offering direct support to patients and caregivers. With a strong patient-centred focus, ILFA has consistently delivered impactful services and advocacy.

Autism Awareness Roscrea is an organisation that focuses on assisting people, as well as, their families with autism in County Tipperary. They offer support and advocacy and offer training which helps families understand life with autism.

Clare Haven Services provides advocacy for women and children subjected to domestic violence. Among the offered services, there are crisis services and legal services for families, which require shelter and other kinds of support.

McAuley Place is a community for elderly people that provides them with various services together with necessary supportive care services to improve their quality of life.

An Exclusive Cultural Showdown by the Moldovan Embassy

This year’s International Charity Bazaar is going to be very interesting as the Moldovan Embassy is to join the celebration and introduce the guests to the Moldovan flair. A stand filled with genuine Moldovan products will be presented in the stand of the Moldovan Embassy, and, of course, fine Moldovan wines, carved souvenirs and agricultural products. 

Moldovan dances will also be arranged within the cultural programme so visitors will be entertained with a lively and energetic spectacle infusing the Moldavian spirit. Visitors to Moldova, a European country, will get a great view of the hospitality that this nation holds dear as well as a glimpse into its cultural heritage.

Japan’s Culture Shines at ICB 2024 PhotoCall Launch

The ICB Photo Launch was attended by the representatives from the Embassy of Japan, wearing their traditional jackets, thus lending the occasion a lively Japanese flavour. They expressed their excitement for the main event and emphasised that the International Charity Bazaar 2024 would be a wonderful opportunity to develop relationships between people and to learn about other cultures.

Echoing the sentiment, the spokesperson from the Embassy of Japan added: “We are very honoured to be a part of International Charity Bazaar 2024. There will be some amazing activities lined up for the main event of International Charity Bazaar 2024, including delicious Japanese cuisines like The Rice Bowl. Moreover, there will be a lot of experience-based activities like calligraphy, the traditional Japanese technique of paper-folding called Origami, and much more. It’s a celebration of culture and creativity that we are thrilled to share with all.”

Conclusion: A Day for Unity and Sharing for the Whole World

The International Charity Bazaar 2024 will be an amazing event, to an extent aiming at commemorating cultural aspects, but equally focusing on charity purposes. This event is more than just showcasing ethnicities from across the world- this is a day of giving back, a day that matters.

During the entire day at the International Charity Bazaar, visitors experience different continents with more than 25 embassies open to showcase the best of their culture in terms of foods, handcrafts, and music, among others. 

It is the very great spirit of solidarity and altruism that reigns among the embassies, sponsors, volunteers, and visitors that are the pillars of this event. 

This will not just be a lovely day out immersing yourself in culture, it is also a day that you get to contribute to some amazing vital causes, which make a real and realistic impact into Irish communities..

As Mrs. Intan Nadia Ramli eloquently stated, “We are extremely grateful for your support, and we look forward to celebrating together on December 1st.”

Remember to save the date in your calendar Sunday, 1st December 2024, for the cultural festival that will be worth your time as it reflects togetherness, harmony, and compassion across the world. 

Whether it is food from different cultures, or handicrafts, or even supporting charitable organisations and foundations the International Charity Bazaar 2024 is definitely not one to be missed.

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