boot Düsseldorf initiates appeal for donations for Ukrainian Sailing Association

boot Düsseldorf initiates appeal for donations for Ukrainian Sailing Association © Messe Düsseldorf

With the support of the German Sailing Federation (DSV), boot Düsseldorf is initiating a fundraising campaign in favour of Ukrainian sailors.

• German Sailing Federation and logistics company Kühne + Nagel as partners
• Donations under the keyword Help for Ukrainian Sailing Federation
• boot invites young Ukrainian sailors to the trade fair

boot is launching its own website for the campaign here.

Exhibitors at the trade fair as well as sailing clubs and private donors can find out about the simple procedure here. Donations can also be made via a QR code specially created for the campaign and displayed on the website. The DSV has set up an account for monetary donations to which payments can be made under the keyword "Help for Ukrainian Sailing Federation".

• German Sailing Federation e.V.
• Keyword: Help for Ukrainian Sailing Federation
• IBAN: DE75 2005 0550 1502 4235 34
• BIC: HASPDEHHXXX
• Hamburger Sparkasse

However, concrete donations of equipment - new and used - are also welcome in the sailing clubs on the Black Sea. After all, most of the boats, sails and other equipment were destroyed in bomb attacks on the sailing clubs. This is where the logistics partner of the appeal for donations comes into play. The company Kühne + Nagel is setting up a storage container at the Düsseldorf fairground opposite Hall 6 at Gate 1. The materials can be dropped off there from 2 January until the end of boot on 28 January 2024. All donors are asked to deliver their donations there themselves.

The Ukrainian Sailing Federation has compiled a list of the boats and materials that are most urgently needed for this campaign. This list will also be published on the fundraising campaign website. The list includes Optis and Cadet boats, ILCAS, boats for sailors with disabilities, IQ foils for men, women and children, Nacra 17s as well as 29ers and 49ers. In addition, rigs - i.e. the rigging of the boats - and sails, but also drives/motors and accessories such as anchors are required.

boot Director Petros Michelidakis is supporting the appeal with great commitment: "It is extremely important to help our Ukrainian sailing friends get back on their feet. I am calling on the manufacturers, our exhibitors, to donate material for the clubs. However, not only brand-new items are needed, the sailors are also very happy to receive used boats or sails. It would therefore be great if sailing clubs could also take part and make donations in kind. Please join us all, on 28 January we want to announce the financial and material donation status at the Sailing Center at boot. We will be travelling to Ukraine together with representatives of the DSV after boot 2024." Kuehne + Nagel will transport it in kind to Kiev. The donations will then be handed over to the President of the Ukrainian Sailing Association, Eugen Moyseenko, on site.

Prior to this, Moyseenko and six young Ukrainian sailors and their coaches have been invited to boot in Düsseldorf. The young athletes, aged between nine and twelve, will try out various hands-on activities at boot and show German schoolchildren their first sailing tips and tricks in the boot Sailing School pool as part of the trade fair's boot for school programme.

The Ukrainian Sailing Association will have a stand in Hall 15 at boot 2024 and present a sailing boat built in Ukraine.