Merry Christmas!

With this photograph of Palácio Avenida decorated for Christmas time, I would like to wish you a very merry Christmas. Peace, Joy and good food to everybody.

Children Christmas Choral of Palácio Avenida

Yesterday I saw for the first time in Curitiba, a presentation of the Palácio Avenida Children Christmas Choral. The number of people crowded at Flower Street in front of the HSBC building was impressive. I waited patiently for 45 minutes and the show began promptly at 20:30. For an hour and twenty minutes, the children delighted everyone with their songs and most importantly, by their presence in the windows of the building.

Each child has an "angel" that ensures all the time his safety and assistance for changing clothes. After the presentation, a fireworks display took place and without any incident, all went to their homes.

Here is a text of HSBC talking a little bit of this project that already has 19 years in Curitiba.

The Christmas Choral is formed by 160 children benefited by the HSBC Education Program. This initiative, created in 2001 with the objective of assisting the children of the Choir, is directly linked to the investment of HSBC to reduce the vulnerability of children and promote academic success. Today, besides the 160 choristers, 600 more children in 11 institutions in Curitiba region are part of the program. During the year, all of them receive assistance as:

- Health insurance and dental care;

- Monitoring of school performance, motor development and growth;

- Professional training courses;

- Emotional education classes.

http://www.portaldovoluntariohsbc.com.br

Christmas at the Palácio Avenida

The Palácio Avenida at Flower street is already decorated for Christmas and the presentations of the children's choir of HSBC has already started their presentations. I hope this year have the opportunity to photograph one of the presentations, which this year expects to receive 200 thousand people over 12 presentations. Curitiba is well decorated for Christmas and has been known as the capital of Natal in Brazil.

Palácio Avenida

The Palácio Avenida is one of the most important historical buildings in Curitiba. It is located in downtown, at the junction of Avenida Luiz Xavier with Oliveira Bello lane. The building, dated of 1929, was built by the Syrian-Lebanese immigrant and trader Merhy Feres. The complex is currently a mix of bank and cultural space, with the Teatro Avenida, a theater with capacity for 250 spectators.

During the Christmas time, all the windows are taken by the children's choir of HSBC, whose performances of holiday songs fascinates the tourists and citizens. I'll try to get better pictures of the presentations of the choir and the Palácio Avenida next Christmas.