ADFA's Christmas
Gala 2023

We raised over 500,000 SEK when combined with what we raised for Armenia.

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More than 200 guests dressed up and gathered on December 2 for ADFA's annual Christmas gala, which was held for the second year in a row at Mor Afrem's party venue in Södertälje, just south of Sweden's capital, Stockholm.

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We have previously featured prominent Swedish artists such as Petra Marklund, Albin Meldau, and Filip Dikmen, also this year we featured a full lineup of celebrities on stage: 

Bobbo Jäderfeldt, a juggler and mind reader who holds five Guinness World Records, captivated the audience. Zinat Pirzadeh, the comedian and writer who emceed the Swedish King's 50th year on the throne event earlier this year, co-hosted the gala with Pischa Strindstedt, the health instructor/trainer from the Swedish edition of the TV show Biggest Losers and one of Sweden's most popular fitness profiles. Pascal Bachir and his orchestra played Assyrian/Syrian and Arabic music, which prompted many people to dance. Noor Aljabiri, a singer who has had a lot of success in the last year, received a standing ovation for her covers and her original song, "To the one lost little girl." KubaDance Company, another local talent, received enthusiastic applause and cheers.

 

HusbilsAnnika, also known as Annika Elgeskog, was interviewed by Strindstedt and shared insights into ADFA's activities, including the story of Joel, a boy whom ADFA is assisting. Joel lost everything during the earthquake in Turkey, including his parents, home, and neighborhood. Elgeskog, an ADFA board member, published her memoirs, "The Greatest Possible Freedom on Four Wheels," this fall. "She went to Lebanon to assist in the organization and administration of food distribution to over a thousand families, as well as to assist people in need of emergency medical care. She also volunteered for ADFA's extensive Ukrainian initiatives in Poland and Ukraine.

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"We are very pleased with the outcome. We raised over 500,000 SEK when combined with what we raised for Armenia some time ago. It is incredible. We know that these are difficult times for many people in Sweden too, with inflation, high interest rates, and high food prices, and we did not expect to receive such a large sum. We are extremely grateful for your generosity!" Annika Elgeskog told Telgenytt.

The above text is a translated and edited version of an article published in the Swedish news outlet Telgenytt.

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Photos by Hopig Khachadourian, please feel free to use the photos but make sure to tag him on Instagram and Facebook.