Interview: Daniela Spanier, Founder of the Latin America Charity Ball

The Latin America Charity Ball, a solidarity event taking place on Tuesday, October 3 at the Yacht Club of Monaco, is organized by Daniela Spanier, a Monaco resident and Bolivian/Italian citizen, founder and CEO of Me Connect.

The event promises to be an evening of philanthropic engagement, sophisticated networking and the celebration of global contributions. Under the High Patronage of Prince Albert II of Monaco, the primary goal of this elegant event is to unite caring individuals for a glamorous evening while raising funds for child welfare and inspiring all who attend to make a lasting impact.

The event is supported by the Embassy of Panama and will take place in the presence of Maricel Cohen de Mulino, the First Lady of the Republic of Panama. It highlights the association’s commitment to international cooperation and the promotion of humanitarian initiatives.

This year’s solidarity gala will raise funds to support the work of the Panamanian non-profit organization ‘Fundacion Unidos por la Ninez’ (FUN), chaired by Jennie Barb, a project that aims to protect children from abuse, exploitation and neglect through a systematic and psycho-pedagogical approach, in close collaboration with and under the leadership of the World Association of Children’s Friends (AMADE), founded in 1963 by Caroline, Princess of Hanover.

The philanthropic goal of the Latin American Charity Ball is to create a lasting impact in the lives of children. It supports the continuation and expansion of projects that protect the physical and mental health of children and young adults by creating a safe, nurturing and stimulating environment in which they can flourish.

With the awards ceremony, Me Connect aims to highlight special achievements and shared values, such as the commitment to making a real difference in the lives of children in Latin America.

Monaco life spoke with Daniela Spanier to learn more about her inspiration for setting up Me Connect, its purpose and her vision for the future of the association.

Monaco Life: What inspired you to set up Me Connect in Monaco?

Daniela Spanier: Me Connect encompasses and combines my academic background and professional experience in finance. I arrived in Monaco 14 years ago with my family and I am a co-founder and former president of the Monaco Latin America Association, organizer and sponsor of No Finish Line Santa Cruz Bolivia, and board member of No Finish Line International, The Monaco USA Association and the Kate Powers Foundation.

With Me Connect I can mediate, introduce, coordinate and advise both parties. I am neutral and impartial and focus on finding a cooperation strategy that is beneficial for all parties involved.

What are the main objectives of Me Connect Monaco?

Me Connect Monaco is a force for good. Its primary goals are to find, connect and develop alliances and partnerships that create collective value and long-lasting bonds of syntony and synergy. It serves as a gateway to Latin American tourism, culture, business and vice versa in Monaco.

How does Me Connect collaborate with other associations in the Principality?

We have successfully collaborated with several associations in the Principality, such as the Prince Albert II Foundation Ocean Gala, which provided a distinguished speaker, Dr. Carlos Matta, an expert in marine protected areas and Uruguayan Minister of Maritime Law. In addition, we have submitted valuable case studies for the Monaco Ocean Week and the Forests and Communities initiative, the Monaco Art Week and Art Montecarlo. We also organized the press lunch and an art exhibition at the Kamil Art Gallery for the famous Panamanian artist and philanthropist Olga Sinclaire.

We supported the Princess Charlene Foundation of Monaco in the creation of the children’s rugby school in Ecuador ‘Condores de Monaco’. We actively participated in the Woman of the Year election in Monte Carlo by nominating candidates as Goodwill Ambassadors of the organization. We collaborated with the Monte Carlo Television Festival with the famous Bolivian artist, philanthropist and fashion designer Sonia Falcone. We hosted four Latin American authors and ambassadors for the Monaco Salon International du Livre. We organized the first and second editions of No-Finish-Line in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. We are currently working on its launch in Panama. We organized a Peruvian music concert together with the Embassy of Peru in France and the Peruvian Honorary Consul in Monaco, in which Ambassador Rolando Ruiz Rosas Cateriano and Consul Jean-Baptiste Pastor participated.

The October Charity Ball will benefit FUN and its project, ‘Children Safe from Sexual Abuse’. Will future events benefit other charities?

The Latin America Charity Ball combines networking, an immersive experience of the culture and people of our country of honour and the result of the coordination and collaboration actions of our NGOs, which aim to identify local and reliable charities and present them to Monegasque NGOs.

On this occasion, we will raise funds to support the work done by the Panamanian non-profit organization Fundacion Unidos por la Ninez (FUN), which collaborates with and is led by our Monegasque charity partner AMADE. Its main objective is to protect children from sexual abuse, a public health problem that affects children in Panama and around the world. FUN’s mission is to promote, protect and defend against child abuse through innovative prevention programs and the treatment of all forms of violence against children in order to build a healthy, just and equitable society. The project “Children Safe from Sexual Abuse,” which we will support, focuses on six schools that benefit more than 6,122 children in three provinces with the highest rates of reported cases of child sexual abuse.

Previously, our events have successfully raised funds for impactful projects. For example, we have raised funds for the No More Children with Chagas project together with the Association Children & Future and No Finish Line Santa Cruz Bolivia. This project was highly commended and recognized by the World Health Organization and the local government for its global impact and regional reach, and received an Orion Award. We have also worked with Fondation Fondamental David de Rothschild to treat and diagnose depression to save children’s lives and prevent suicide in young adults. Furthermore, we have jointly provided financial support to several projects related to the physical and mental health of children in Colombia, Guatemala and Nicaragua. These previous successes demonstrate the effectiveness of the charity ball in achieving its goals and the significant impact it has had on the well-being of children.

In the future, we will focus on protecting and creating awareness of the power of valuing the learning process, focusing on projects that collect, communicate and improve ancestral and indigenous knowledge. Value is born in the habit of attention and appreciation, a survival principle that we have lost in a digitalized and fast-paced world that is disconnected from the pleasure of being present in the field rather than in a remote or administrative position.

What is the main purpose of the awards ceremony?

The awards recognize those whose values ​​drive sustainable success, achievements that inspire and positively impact entire communities; they are not the result of a lucky first shot, but rather a reward for people who have had the vision, the passion, the wisdom, and the inner peace and love to pursue a dream. It is not about undermining others; rather, it is about engaging and involving those around them, and creating value for all. The award winners share a lifetime of achievement, vital social work, dedication, and inspiration.

A distinguished group of 12 Panamanian greats will be the 2024 award winners for their contributions to music, fashion, art and gastronomy. The award winners in the fields of music, fashion, art and gastronomy are:

Music: Panamanian professor, accordionist and artist Ormelis Cortez; musician and songwriter Yomira John; and French musician and songwriter Mae Orisha, who fell in love with Panama and wants to connect Panama and France.

Fashion: Fashion designer Sophie Breebart, who founded the foundation ‘Searching your Star’ to protect traditional costumes and cultural identity; Rula Lakas, whose couture work has an indigenous flavor, a style created by indigenous Guna women; and Leticia and Anastasia Liakopulos, founders of House of Clio, brought innovation to the Panamanian jewelry industry with a touch of Greek heritage.

Art: Panamanian figurative painter Olga Sinclair is known for breaking the world record by organizing 5,084 children’s paintings simultaneously to commemorate the centennial of the Panama Canal. Artist Carolina Alfonso’s artworks are part of the collections of the Prince Albert II Foundation, Maison de l’Amerique Latine and the Red Cross of Monaco.

Gastronomy: Finally, the Gastronomy and Hospitality awards honor renowned Panamanian chef Charlie Collins and renowned Chef Cuquita Arias de Calvo, who uphold the values ​​of Panamanian cuisine.

The Latin American Impact Award statuette was designed by Monaco-based Brazilian artist Marcos Marin. His design captures the essence of this formal recognition of excellence.

What is your vision for the future?

Me Connect focuses on finding the common element between profitability, social and environmental responsibility and open communication to connect the dots and contribute to a faster, more sustainable green shift. After 25 years in Europe, moving 16 times because my father was a diplomat, speaking five languages, having a large international network, a global vision and a clear purpose, I plan to continue my studies, focusing on politics and geopolitics in Madrid to be part of and advance a community of changemakers.

For information about the Latin America Charity Ball, please email: [email protected]; or book your tickets directly: https://my.wilout-online.com/d74fd5396e3c0812f30d9dcb964590ef/s

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Main photo: Daniela Spanier, credit: Arbee Pachao