The Mercedes-Benz Charitable Committee announced on April 8 that the 11th edition of the fundraising running event ‘Mercedes-Benz Give and Race’ took place on April 7 in Busan, recording the highest number of participants ever with a total of 20,000 runners and raising 1,017,760,000 KRW.
In its 11th year, ‘Give and Race’ aims to support underprivileged children and youth in South Korea by combining running with charitable donations, a tradition that has been ongoing since 2017. This year’s race has achieved a milestone of approximately 131,000 total participants and a cumulative donation amount of around 6.6 billion KRW, with all funds allocated to support underprivileged children and youth.
This year’s ‘Give and Race’ featured a course passing through popular tourist spots in Busan, including Bexco, Gwangalli Beach, and Gwangandaegyo Bridge. Participants chose to run either 10km, 8km, or 3km. The event also included performances from popular musicians, photo zones, and various social media events, making it a celebratory atmosphere that encouraged participants’ goodwill.
Chairperson Matthias Weidlich of the Mercedes-Benz Charitable Committee expressed his joy, stating, “As the years go by, interest and participation in the Give and Race continue to grow. It’s wonderful to create opportunities where people can engage in donation activities while enjoying running.” He added, “As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Mercedes-Benz Charitable Committee this year, we aim to further cement our position as a responsible company through various social contribution activities in the future.”
Meanwhile, since 2020, the Mercedes-Benz Charitable Committee has supported local youth sports talent and medical costs for underprivileged children with 1.5 billion KRW from the total funds raised over four years, and in 2022, they received the Busan Mayor’s commendation for their contributions to community development in Busan.
Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr