"Serious Request" is a benefit event in the week before Christmas each year by Dutch radio station 3FM. The project collects money for Red Cross initiatives. During 6 days (it started last Wednesday) 3 dj's live in a glass house without food, they only drink juices. They broadcast on the radio 24 hours per day throughout the whole 6 days, and it is also being transmitted on tv. Each day Dutch celebrities visit the glass house.
The dj's play songs requested by internet or visitors standing in front of the glass house. When requesting a song, you are expected to donate money to the project. This year's main theme for the campaign is 'let's clean this shit up' and the money will be used to stop children dying from diarrhea.
Serious Request as a benefit event is a huge succes: in 2012 more than 12 million euro's (!) was raised. Each year it is in different city, and this year it's all happening in Leeuwarden. I took this last picture looking out on the glass house from inside the Fries Museum this morning. As you can see it wasn't very crowded yet at that time. By the way, the units forming the glass house only have glass on the front side, so there's a bit of privacy left for the dj's.
Oh my goodness! I have never heard of a fund raiser like this -- but wow, it is obvious that it works! The slightly off-color title of the appeal is guaranteed to get young people's attention ... and that is good. They'll donate and start thinking about what they can do to help the world. A most interesting post Marleen -- thanks for sharing.
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