Mende Nazer Foundation

Karlsruhe / Sudan.  A highly emotional visit to the European School in Karlsruhe (ESK): as part of the charity project "Strike for Sudan - the Mende Nazer School for Nuba" ESK-director Tom Høyem was happy to hand over a 17,000€ donation check to the best-selling author Mende Nazer during a ceremony that took place last Friday and was attended by students, parents, and numerous other interested parties.

In mid-February 2012 over 300 ESK high school students, with the support of celebrities such as the top players of the BG Basketball Karlsruhe team, took part at the major fund-raising bowling event "Strike FOR SUDAN" in the Karlsruhe "Lago Bowling Center" and were able to raise the great sum for the donation. During the ceremony on Friday also 30 of the most dedicated students were awarded with prizes.

The donation will be used to build up a school in the Nuba region in Sudan, from which the author is originary. In Karlsruhe she reported about her fateful life over which she has written her autobiography "Slave". This autobiography was written to draw the world’s attention on the situation in her country and on her own calvary.

The young woman, which could not hide her emotions for the great compassion and commitment of the parties in and outside the school, wowed the audience of the packed ESK-auditorium. She answered the youngsters’ questions in detail, like the one about the water supply situation in Sudan, or the one about the possbility to meet her parents there, regardless the unstable situation.

Talks on further support for the school project in Nuba and the use of the donations were held in the presence of Mende Nazer in a meeting with the members of the "Mende Nazer Foundation", founded in Karlsruhe on initiative of Tom Høyem and active wordlwide.

The uniqueness of the ESK-guest was summarised by the headmaster Tom Høyem who has known the author for five years: "For me, Mende Nazer is comparable with Nelson Mandela."

The “Mende Nazer Foundation” is active worldwide through engaged parents for education and building schools in Sudan. At the presidency of the  "Mende Nazer Foundation" are alongside founder Mende Nazer (United Kingdom), the following active members: ESK- Director and Chairman Tom Høyem (Denmark), Janan Sutherland (Canada), Vice Chairman, Dr. Sabine Roeser (Karlsruhe), Dr. Jacqueline Ribeiro (Karlsruhe), Dr. Ulrike Gentiles (Karlsruhe), Aya Ferguson (United Kingdom), Caroline Clegg (United Kingdom), Dr. Henning Huffer (Karlsruhe) and Angela Wippermann (Karlsruhe).
 
BBC article "Surviving modern-day slavery" on Mende Nazer
 
World premiere of the play "Slave - A Question of Freedom" in Manchester


In 2012 the European School in Karlsruhe (ESK) celebrates its 50th anniversary. Children and teenagers are taken care of and taught from the age of 6 months up to graduation in the day care center "Polyglott”, in the kindergarten, in primary and secondary school. Around 180 staff members from all 27 nations of the European Union are engaged in the multi-cultural educational institution of the fan-shaped city of Karlsruhe, which has been led by director Tom Høyem since 2000. The area served by the school goes from Mannheim and Heidelberg, to Karlsruhe and Strasbourg. 1000 students are taught in 14 different native languages. The internationally recognized European Baccalaureate achieved at ESK opens worldwide study opportunities.The European School in Karlsruhe is one of 14 European schools in locations of EU institutions throughout Europe.

(Autor: dei)