FCBARCELONA.CAT

09.08.2007 16:25

Players attend charity gala in Hong Kong

David Saura

Barça’s relentless commitment to charity has continued in Hong Kong, where all of the players attended a gala for the benefit of people with spinal injuries and the patients at a local hospital.

Football tours are not just about business deals. Like in Beijing, Barça are also doing their bit for social issues, where today the players attended a gala in the Grand Ballroom at the Hotel Grand Hyatt Hong Kong where they are staying. The beneficiaries on this occasion were the Spinal Injury Foundation and the United Christian Hospital.

Financial contribution

FC Barcelona added its name to the groups showing their support, in an event attended by some 300 people, mostly businesspeople, bankers and company directors in the former British colony. All of guests paid for the meal at a cost of between 500 and 2000 euros a head.

Soriano represents the club

Joan Laporta returned to Barcelona this morning to attend the funeral of Nicolau Casaus, so vice president Ferran Soriano was the head delegate of the Barça entourage, accompanied by director Albert Perrin and technical secretary Txiki Begiristain, among other members of the touring party.

Full squad in attendance

But the greatest expectation surrounded the Barça first team squad, who attended the first part of the gala. They then took to the stage to rapturous applause and watched an auction of various items they had brought with them followed by a series of musical performances. They had to leave early though, because they had a training session scheduled at the Siu Sai Wan Stadium .

Institutional reorientation

The gala was the most important part of the day in Hong Kong, with several major public figures from the Chinese dependency present, including Secretary of State for Education, Michael Suen, the vice president of the Immigration Department, Beh Yun-Iu, and members of the organising company, the clubs playing in Friday’s match and the institutions benefiting from the event.