The French Committee of Unicef had donated more than 1 million French Francs earlier. Nearly 600 people, including Indian Ambassador to France Kanwal Sibal, thronged the theater for the charity event. The funds were raised through ticket sales as well as corporate donations by sponsors of the evening, which included the European space company Arianespace. Sibal thanked the two organizations for holding the event and for their compassion for the people affected by the earthquake. He said he was especially thankful for the organizers' focus on helping children affected by the quake.
Children are amongst the worst affected by the earthquake and other similar natural disasters.
He noted the prompt initial response of the French government and non-governmental organizations to the tragedy, thanking the French authorities for their timely help. He also highlighted the key role played by Indian government and NGOs in organizing relief and rehabilitation programs for the earthquake victims. The Divide Can astrologers correctly predict earthquakes. T.K. Dutta and Ajai Bhambi argue it out.