This is the question that will be used to raise an interest for the major open house event that the Embassy of Belgium is planning on Saturday, November 6, 2010. This event is organized in collaboration with YWCA Bangkok and serves three purposes :
- to raise money for charity
- to give free access to the public to the Residence, which is Thai cultural heritage
- to give publicity to Belgian produce, artists, musicians
The event will be profiled as an elegant afternoon high tea buffet, open from 2PM to 5PM. The theme will be "Chocolate and Art". Entrance tickets will be on sale during 2 months prior to the event.
For the price of B 1500 the interested individual will gain access to the Residence, both downstairs and upstairs (1st floor only), inside and outside terraces (ground floor and first floor), where multiple buffets will offer coffee, tea, soft drinks, a selection of small sandwiches, fingerfoods, snacks, cookies, chocolates, waffles and pancakes, etc etc. People can sit and enjoy the afternoon and stay as long as they like, from 2PM to 5PM.
Musicians will be asked to give small performances. The garden will be open for guests to wander around and enjoy the sculptures that will be exhibited there. Also, the house will give room to artists to show and sell their work. There will be silent auctions to sell donations, orchids, and whatever we can sell off for the good cause. On the driveway, around the reflecting pool, stalls will be set up for any interested parties to sell their produce. There will be a small beer stand and a fries stand offering free samples. Vendors will be required to contribute a set percentage of 15% of their sales as a contribution to the event.
We are expecting to sell no less than 400 entrance tickets and to attract a widely varied audience. We are hoping to raise between 600,000 and 1,000,000 baht. The money will go to the benefit of needy women and children in Thailand, a YWCA project that will be determined beforehand and will be mentioned on the flyers.
It would make us proud to see as many Belgian companies and artists involved in this day as possible. Therefore, we invite you to respond to this letter with a precise description of how you want to participate :
- as a vendor
- as sponsoring caterer
- as exhibiting artist
- as performing musician
- as donator of auction prizes
- other ... ?
Please send your replies to Sophie Damme ( Sophie.Damme@diplobel.fed.be ) with a cc to myself (mireilleswinnen@gmail.com) including your full contact details before the end of March. Space is limited, but we'll try our best to fit in as many initiatives as possible. We hope to finalize the rough outline of the program by the end of April.
Looking forward to seeing your proposals, and hoping that this will be of service to you,
Warm regards,
Mireille Swinnen
Spouse of Ambassador of Belgium
