Margareta, Custodian of the Crown of Romania, said today that in the last year and a half that coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, the foundation that bears her name has mobilized to help the vulnerable.

"The last year and a half has been difficult for all mankind, a time that has shown that we can stand in solidarity and that we care about those around us. We stood united, even if isolated. Many organizations in Romania have fought the pandemic, supported people and communities. The Margareta of Romania Foundation mobilized to help the vulnerable. We launched new projects, supplemented our team and gathered hundreds of volunteers. Hundreds. This is wonderful. We offered material or emotional support to seniors alone. We helped children from poor families to continue online schooling and supported talented young people to follow their dream. We supported organizations from smaller communities to help those affected," the Crown Custodian said during the Elisabeta Palace Evening dedicated to the Margareta of Romania Royal Foundation (FRMR) held in the palace garden.

Her Majesty also brought to mind the intergenerational projects developed by the FRMR during the pandemic.

"True to our philosophy of bringing generations together, each age has contributed its best. Young volunteers were at the seniors' side, especially during the state of emergency. The seniors mentored the children during online lessons. Everyone, regardless of age, can help the community, and intergenerational support produced an extraordinary result for all," said the Crown Custodian.

Princess Margareta thanked the companies and partners who joined FRMR's efforts.

"They believed in our strength and proved generosity and civic responsibility. Together we helped more than 12,000 people get through the pandemic and our mission goes on. We are here today, together, for me to give you thanks. I hope you will be at our side in the future too," concluded the Crown Custodian.

The Foundation's executive director Mugurel Margarit reviewed the main achievements of FRMR, recalling that the Foundation has set itself a model from developing intergenerational projects.

"We have taken over this model of intergenerational projects, and in the last two years we created 37 intergenerational projects across the country. And not just us, as a foundation, but us through the local partners we work with, those smaller community organizations we encourage to develop and which we teach everything we know best," said Margarit.

He told AGERPRES that Her Majesty Margareta is a "daily inspiration" for FRMR volunteers.

"Her Majesty is a daily inspiration for us. She is the one who makes us strive for more, she is the one who always raises our standards, she is the one who praises us and we like that very much, she is also the one who tells us what we did wrong. So she is extremely important to us and deeply involved in a heartfelt manner in the projects we do. She can no longer be there every day at the foundation, but the foundation is essential to her. She created it in 1990 out of the desire to help people and that's what she still wants. Doing things differently is out of question," said Mugurel Margarit.

The event was attended by Prince Radu, FRMR supporters and partners, economic personalities, members of the Board of Directors, Foundation employees and volunteers.

At the end of the event, the protagonists of the Young Talents program, one of the Foundation's signature projects, offered an artistic program.

The Margareta of Romania Royal Foundation was created in 1990 by King Mihai I of Romania and Her Majesty Margareta, Custodian of the Crown of Romania. The Foundation's mission is to support children, young people and elderly through sustainable interventions, based on the exchange of experience and values between generations. Over time, the Foundation has been involved in a host of social, cultural, educational and talent projects. AGERPRES (RO - author: Daniel Popescu, editor: Mihai Simionescu; EN - author: Simona Klodnischi, editor: Simona Iacob)