The TOP CHARITY 2024 Grand Charity Auction has ended with a spectacular result! Organisers Omenaa Mensah and Rafał Brzoska, together with Corporate Connections Poland, raised PLN 45,917,000, making the event number one
in Europe! The double amount raised from the auction, or PLN 22 million from Rafał Brzoska, is probably the largest single private donation to a charitable cause in the history of modern Poland!
The third edition of the TOP CHARITY Grand Charity Auction attracted almost 500 guests. On the red carpet, in the courtyard of the King Jan III Sobieski Palace in Wilanow, in addition to the initiators of the event Omena Mensah and Rafał Brzoska, appeared representatives of the largest businesses from Poland, the Czech Republic, Italy, Germany, France, Bulgaria, Croatia. Ambassadors, art collectors, eminent artists and selected personalities of Polish show business. During the art auction, 15 works of art and 10 highlights from the Great Emotions category were auctioned. The selection of works was overseen by an Art Council consisting of Iwona Büchner-Grzesiak, Rafał Kamecki, Boris Kudlička, Kama Zboralska and Omenaa Mensah. The works of art that were finally put up for auction were selected during a year-long process of discussions, debates and collaboration between art lovers and experts.
For the first time in the event’s history, EY Polska became the independent auditor of the TOP CHARITY 2024 Grand Charity Auction. The professional course of the auction was taken care of by the gala’s partners: Jacek Piotrowski of Dom Aukcyjny Polswiss Art and Artinfo.pl – the largest independent art market portal. The auction of works of art by Polish and foreign artists alone raised PLN 22,630,000, which, according to unwritten tradition, Rafał Brzoska doubled from a private donation, bringing the total to PLN 45,260,000. The final result of the Auction, i.e. 45,917,000, was additionally made up of donations from guests in the amount of PLN 657,000.
The highest auctioned work was the Torso alato sculpture , 1985 by Igor Mitoraj, for which buyers and committed philanthropists paid PLN 6,800,000. In turn, the highest auctioned Grand Emotion was the Metamorphosis Week with Ewa Chodakowska at Mövenpick Resort Kuredhivaru Maldives – a collective emotion for which guests paid PLN 5,100,000! The auction of a one-of-a-kind gown from the iconic Dolce&Gabbana Alta Moda collection was also hugely successful. The winner auctioned it for PLN 500,000!
This year, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Omenaa Foundation, the TOP CHARITY Grand Charity Auction was accompanied by additional events. The Wilanów Palace was transformed into a centre for the exchange of experiences, thoughts and inspiration for the future. The ChangeMakers 2024 Business Conference discussed the most significant challenges of national security in the digital age, cooperation between business and local governments in building geopolitical stability, the role of female leaders in changing corporate culture, and the US and Polish model of philanthropy. Panellists included Secretary of State, Head of BBN, Jacek Siewiera, US Ambassador to Poland Mark Brzezinski and leading business representatives from Poland and the US. Of great interest was the meeting with Phyllis Newhouse, founder and CEO of ShoulderUp Technology Acquisition Corp, Xtreme Solutions, Inc. and the non-profit organisation ShoulderUp. Her inspiring speech to Polish entrepreneurs emphasised the importance of using one’s resources and relationships to change the world for the better.
Poland’s biggest celebration of philanthropy ended with a Lazy Sunday picnic, during which guests could see a Fiat 126p Bis, the iconic Maluch – a gift from Rafał Sonik. The car, decorated by one of the most sought-after contemporary street art artists Mariusz Waras, will also go up for auction. The money from the collection will be donated to support children and young people injured in road accidents and to provide them with access to therapy and recovery. That afternoon, a host of attractions were prepared, with children from the orphanage, children of donors and employees of the foundation taking part. Young people learned about philanthropy through fun and joint initiatives.
The organisers of the gala, Omenaa Mensah and Rafał Brzoska, emphasise that the entire business community is creating an increasingly richer image of philanthropy in Poland and co-creating a wonderful event. – Every guest of the gala contributes to significant social changes, not only by reviving the economy, creating jobs, but also by sharing their wealth responsibly , concludes Omenaa Mensah, president of the Omenaa Foundation.
Theevent was organised by Omenaa Foundation, OmenaArt Foundation, Rafał Brzoska Foundation, Corporate Connections and the King John III Palace Museum in Wilanów.
Media patrons of the auction included AD, Forbes, Artinfo.pl, Elle Decoration, while strategic and artistic patronage was provided by Dom Aukcyjny Polswiss Art and EY Polska.
Event partners: BMW, Bang& Olufsen, Royal Watch, Velaa Private Island Maldives,Moët Hennesy, Dolce&Gabbana Alta Moda, Sunreef Yachts Eco, Bebio.pl, Santander Foundation, Siepomaga.pl, InPost, Mövenpick Resort Kuredhivaru Maldives, Go Elite, LuginsLand of Art, Antonius Caviar, Galeria Ebony.
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