Ukraine fundraiser tops €10 million in three days; National telethon on Monday

Netherlands residents donated almost 10 million euros to the Ukraine aid fundraising campaign, Giro555, in three days. Called, "Together in Action for Ukraine," the donation tally stood at 9,802,571 euros by noon on Thursday. The Giro number was opened up on Monday by eleven aid organizations to raise funds for aid to Ukraine after the Russian invasion. On Monday, Giro555 is holding a radio and telethon to raise more money for this cause.

The organizers, including Kerk in Actie, UNICEF, and Terre des Hommes, are using the money to provide emergency aid like shelter, clean drinking water, medical care, and mental health care to Ukrainians. "Think of the people who are in the air-raid shelters in Ukraine, but also the women and children on the run," said Kees Zevenbergen, campaign chairman. He called it "heartwarming that the Netherlands sympathizes so much."

Aid has already started in several places, Giro555 said. Cordaid is handing out soup in parking lots at the border, and the Red Cross has set up aid posts and shelters in Ukraine, near the border with Poland. Stichting Vluchteling, which first opened its own Giro account and later merged it with Giro555, uses buses to transport people to less crowded places in Poland. A spokesperson for the refugees' foundation said that it has teams in Poland, Romania, and Moldova to help people find shelter.

Zevenbergen said that "we will have to provide help for a long time" and asked "all of the Netherlands to join up and raise funds."

On Monday, the television program Samen in Actie voor Oekraine will be broadcast from 8:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. on NPO 1, RTL 4, and SBS6. The thirteen regional broadcasters in the Netherlands support the program.

During the show, people can call in to donate money. Chantal Janzen and Rob Kemps will present the broadcast. Jeroen Pauw and Eva Jinek are also participating, receiving guests in the studio, and interacting with correspondents in the region.

Dionne Stax and Britt Dekker will report on the action from the Giro555 national action center in the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision. Hilo Noorzai will follow developments on social media. Wendy van Dijk will also participate in the broadcast, but her exact role is not yet clear, according to the organizers.

Public and commercial radio stations will pay attention to Giro555 from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Under the name Radio555, DJs from various stations will present a special broadcast from Sound and Vision. It is a collaboration between NPO Radio 2, NPO 3FM, NPO Radio 5, Qmusic, 100%NL, Radio 538, Radio10, Radio Veronica, SLAM!, and Sublime. The program will be broadcast on all participating channels.

Cultural institutions also announced that all proceeds they collect with their #hArtforUkraine campaign this weekend would be officially donated to Giro555 during the broadcast on Monday. Multiple theaters, museums, and dance and music ensembles have already joined the action by organizing benefit concerts and decorating their buildings with the Ukrainian flag.