An H for Haiti – a campaign by Welthungerhilfe, the fashion designer Anna von Griesheim, and the jewellery designer Thomas Sabo at the Berlin International Film Festival

The famous director Fatih Akin
with the bow tie. © Kesten (11.02.2010) In its 60th year, the spotlights are shining especially brightly on the Berlin International Film Festival, and on the stars and media representatives from across the world. It's just four weeks since the world's spotlights were trained on another place – on Haiti and on an unprecedented disaster.   

H for Haiti, H for hope, H for heart – Welthungerhilfe, and the designers Anna von Griesheim and THOMAS SABO want their joint campaign to focus attention on the people of Haiti again, even if most camera crews have moved on.  

The fashion designer has designed a bow tie in blue and red, the national colours of Haiti. The "H" pendant made of high-quality sterling silver attached to each tie is additionally contributed by the THOMAS SABO lifestyle brand. By wearing this, the stars at the Berlin International Film Festival can show that they want to actively support Haiti over the longer-term, beyond the end of the current emergency phase.  

"I've known about Welthungerhilfe for a long time now, and had no hesitation in supporting this campaign. I hope that our bow tie catches on quickly and that all those who wear it today will become ambassadors for a new Haiti", says fashion designer Anna von Griesheim.

Thomas Sabo is glad to help:”For me it goes without saying that we should do our bit for this good cause. If through this campaign we are able to provide even a little bit of extra aid for the affected people in Haiti, that would be great."

The Haitian ambassador, Jean-Robert Saget is the patron of the campaign.

The bow tie for Haiti.
Welthungerhilfe has been working in Haiti since 1974. It was one of the first organisations to be able to provide emergency relief aid, and now it is implementing a five-year plan that combines emergency relief aid with reconstruction and long-term development. Following the principle of help towards self-help, it is providing support to tens of thousands of people in their efforts to overcome the consequences of the earthquake, and to enable a fresh start to be made.

"The reconstruction in Germany at the end of the war would also not have been possible without outside help" says Martina Dase, Welthungerhilfe's Executive Director of Marketing. "The memory of that is revived now that the Berlin International Film Festival is commemorating the year of its foundation in 1950. We believe that the people of Berlin and their guests from across the world are particularly receptive to our message that the people of Haiti need our support."