"Taking responsibility in a time of crisis!"

The Tribute to Bambi charity event is all about active support in autumn. In the spirit of "BAMBI helps children", around 300 guests from society, culture, business and politics came to the JW Marriott Hotel Berlin on Thursday to collect donations and raise awareness for those who are not in a position to help themselves: Children in need.

The spotlight was not only on the numerous celebrity supporters, including Dorothee Bär, Dagi Bee, Elena Carrière, Sebastian Copeland, Nastassja Kinski, Franziska Knuppe, Julia Klöckner, Jennifer Knäble, Dagmar Kögel, Marcel Remus, Sasha, Jochen Schropp, Sylvia Walker, Johann von Bülow, Natalia Yegorova and Diana zur Löwen, but above all on the silent heroes in our society: individuals who stand up for children and young people every day, who believe in them, encourage them and accompany them on their journey. 

They are there when parents are unable to provide a safe haven for their children due to poverty or addiction, when caring families need a break from their exhausting daily routine or when a meaningful afternoon activity is needed to give a new sense of perspective. So, there was plenty of applause, tears and donations from the audience for the three support projects presented by the Tribute to Bambi Foundation: Berliner Help Stiftung, Familienherberge Lebenswege and High Five.

One thing became clear during the evening: it is precisely in times of crisis that we bear a special responsibility for our actions. Everyone can do something in their immediate environment and contribute to a positive future. Hubert Burda Media has been taking responsibility for many years and uses the reach and social relevance of its brands in a meaningful way.

"It is our journalistic mission to draw attention to the suffering of children, but we wanted to go further and help in a very concrete way. That is why we founded the Tribute to Bambi Foundation and have supported almost 200 charitable initiatives and organisations that help children in need over the past 20 years. We knew it was a big responsibility - but what we didn't know is that this task is becoming more and more important as the scale of need and the number of children affected in our country is growing."

Philipp Welte, Burda Board Member

"Tonight is about fundraising, but also about the love and respect that should be shown to children. With our foundation, we can help in a very concrete way so that the lives of children in need improve noticeably and in the long term - that´s why we have supported so many projects over the years."

Patricia Riekel, Chairwoman of the Tribute to Bambi Foundation

Moderators Nazan Eckes and Riccardo Simonetti were the charming hosts of the evening and motivated the guests to stand up for the most vulnerable in our society. Tribute to Bambi was full of inspiration and examples of how we can make a difference together. Singer-songwriter Florian Künstler showed how encouraging music can be with his hit song "Kleiner Finger Schwur". Olaf Hajek knows how art can help: his original painting "Aufbruch" was auctioned for 16,000 euros and the accompanying limited Fine Art Edition can now be purchased at WhiteWall.com/Bambi. Giovanni Zarrella added to the exuberant atmosphere with a spontaneous singing performance and the partners Aigner, Bioderma, Champagne Laurent-Perrier, Chopard, Deutsche Postcode Lotterie, Juvia, JW Marriott Hotel Berlin, Outletcity Metzingen and Silhouette also supported the charity network with their own charity products and special campaigns in the weeks surrounding the Tribute to Bambi charity event.

One of the most powerful moments was a moment of utter silence. None of the guests could deny the powerful moment when Michael Patrick Kelly rang the giant peace bell and asked the audience to join him in a moment of silence for all children currently suffering from war around the world. The singer and peace activist rang the bell to draw attention to the importance of social cohesion in a world of turmoil, division and war.