The Mercedes-Benz Social Contribution Committee successfully concluded the ‘10th Mercedes-Benz Give and Race’ event in Busan on the 2nd, raising a record 1 billion KRW in donations after three years of virtual participation.
Thomas Klein, Chairman of the Mercedes-Benz Social Contribution Committee, expressed his joy, saying, “It is a pleasure to hold the ‘Mercedes-Benz Give and Race,’ which promotes giving through running, face-to-face in Busan for its 10th year. We are also running in hopes of the ‘2030 Busan World Expo.’ The passionate participation of the runners has enabled us to create the largest donation ever of 1 billion KRW, and we will continue to expand this campaign to create a positive impact alongside the community in the future.”
After the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s race saw a record number of over 18,000 runners registered, highlighting the interest of people of all ages since the first event in 2017.
Of the total 1 billion KRW raised, 500 million KRW was directly handed over to Park Hyung-jun, the Mayor of Busan, by Chairman Thomas Klein at the Busan Bexco outdoor plaza on the day of the event. This fund will be used to support healthcare and education for children and teenagers in the Busan area.
The remaining 500 million KRW will be utilized through the Children and Future Foundation for the healthcare and education of children and teenagers nationwide. The Mercedes-Benz Social Contribution Committee has achieved approximately 105,000 total participants and around 5.6 billion KRW in accumulated donations across ten Give and Race events to date.
This year’s Give and Race was set on the iconic Gwangandaegyo Bridge in Busan, aiming to support the bid for the ‘2030 Busan World Expo.’ Around 20,000 running enthusiasts enjoyed the spring warmth while racing over the beautiful Busan seas. Moreover, popular musicians performed celebratory concerts at the venue, and various engaging activities such as photo zones and social media events were organized to inspire participants in their charitable run.
Meanwhile, the ‘Mercedes-Benz Give and Race’ is a donation culture expansion campaign started in 2017 to support the education and healthcare costs for vulnerable children and teenagers in Korea. It is considered one of the most beautiful running events in the world, where the entire registration fee is donated, establishing itself as a prominent activity of the Mercedes-Benz Social Contribution Committee.
Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr