On Saturday, December 5th, 2009, the Belgian-Luxembourg Business Association (BLBA) – formerly the Belgian Business Association (BBA) – organized the BLBA Annual Charity Fundraising Dinner to celebrate BBA’s 10th anniversary and the formation of the BLBA at the Residence of H.E. the Ambassador of Belgium. Celebrated musician/composer couple Shubhendra and Saskia Rao and dance performer Yamini Reddy brought their the program ‘Moods and Melodies’, a kaleidoscopic view of different moods evoked by the Classical arts of India through music and dance. Proceeds of the BLBA charity dinner went to the Ursuline Sisters of Tildonk (New Delhi Chapter), who do pioneering work in the field of education, empowerment, and welfare of tribal girls and women mainly originating from the States of Jharkhand and Bihar, who migrate or are trafficked to New Delhi for jobs as domestic workers and become victims of exploitation and injustice.

We would like to thank those of you who participated to Saturday’s charity dinner at the Belgian Ambassador’s Residence in New Delhi. Thanks to your concerted effort, BLBA managed to raise a modest amount of money for the Ursuline Sisters of Tildonk. We hope it will provide them the extra support needed in trying to uplift and make the living better of mistreated, abused and exploited domestic workers in their Merici Home in New Delhi.

We would like to use this opportunity to thank H.E. Ambassador Mr. Deboutte and Mrs. Deboutte for their hospitality, Reverend Father Frederick D’Souza for introducing us to the work of the Ursuline Sisters and the members of the executive committee of the BLBA for their extraordinary support.

Special thanks to Hilton New Delhi/Janakpuri for the dinner vouchers and the integrated marketing service group T.I.C India for allowing participants to walk away with a memorable souvenir: a beautifully framed picture of themselves taken in the lawn of the residence of the Belgian Ambassador to India. Pictures of the event  are posted below.

Last, but not least, we want to sincerely thank all the sponsors of this event. Without their support, we would not have been able to deliver this event to you.