Romanian designers and artists are creating unique Christmas trees for the 25th edition of the Festival of Christmas Trees, which will be auctioned on December 4 at the Gala organized by Save the Children Romania, in partnership with the National Museum of Art of Romania.

Previous editions have raised a total of over 10 million euros in donations. For this year’s edition, designers have opened their studios and are working intensely on one-of-a-kind trees that symbolize the strength of children when they are supported to attend school and dream about their future.

Over the 24 previous editions of the Festival of Christmas Trees, €10,102,000 have been raised, directly benefiting 272,127 children, as follows:

• 197,238 children received socio-economic assistance for their families, along with psychological counseling;
• 11,616 children were enrolled in Summer Kindergartens;
• 5,374 children were reintegrated into the education system through the “Second Chance” program;
• 57,899 children participated in “School after School” educational programs;
• 102 school libraries were equipped with 76,000 books.

Record-breaking generosity in 2024

With an ambitious goal, the 2024 edition of the Festival of Christmas Trees succeeded in raising €1,000,000 to help restore equal access to education for children facing severe poverty and social exclusion.
The 23 trees auctioned during the Gala, organized in partnership with the National Museum of Art of Romania, ensured socio-educational support for 15,000 children.

The trees, designed and donated by renowned Romanian artists and designers, were auctioned for amounts between €25,000 and €123,000 by companies committed to social responsibility.
In total, the €1 million raised came from the tree auction, raffle ticket sales, and sponsorships.

The most sought-after trees were:

• “The Guardian of Dreams”, created by Doina Levintza
• “Cheers”, created by Omid Ghannadi & Le Store
• “The Magic of Christmas: The Enchanted Hat”, created by Save the Children with the support of Ștefania Mircea,
  each auctioned for over €100,000.

Poverty kills education: the story of Ionuț, the boy who thought he’d never get another chance

Ionuț, age 11, is in the second grade. Under normal circumstances, he should have been in fourth grade by now.
Last summer, he joined activities run by the Mobile School in the marginalized urban community of Tei-Toboc. He hadn’t attended school for two years and was on the verge of dropping out completely.
That day marked a new beginning for him — he had to be re-enrolled, as he had previously been removed from the system after completing preparatory class.

Ionuț lives in severe socio-familial vulnerability, affecting both his emotional and educational development. He is cared for by his maternal great-grandmother, following the recent loss of his mother; his father is not involved in his upbringing.
They live in a makeshift home consisting of one room, a small hallway, and a kitchen, with no functional bathroom and limited hygiene conditions.
Despite these challenges, Ionuț is making every effort to stay in school. He has received school supplies, a backpack, clothes, and shoes — everything needed to help the family continue his education.

It’s been more than a year since Ionuț joined the educational program run by Save the Children Romania at School No. 145, and he is now increasingly confident that he can finish school successfully.

The situation of children in Romania

Romanian children remain among the most affected by poverty in the European Union.
 Across the EU, Romania ranks third for child poverty rates, after Bulgaria and Spain, according to Eurostat 2024 data. The lowest risk of poverty and social exclusion is recorded in Slovenia, Cyprus, and the Czech Republic. Poverty has dramatic consequences on children’s equal access to education.

In 2024, 33.8% of Romanian children were still at risk of poverty or social exclusion — far above the EU average of 24.2%.
Structural vulnerabilities fuel growing inequality:

• Rural children face a 41.7% risk,
• Children of parents with low education levels face a 75.8% risk, compared to 5.9% among children whose parents have university degrees.

For 1.255 million children in Romania, securing resources for a healthy life remains a daily struggle.
Children continue to be significantly more affected by poverty than adults — their risk of poverty or exclusion is 7% higher.

A Save the Children Romania study (summer 2025) shows that almost three out of five families (58%) whose children are enrolled in educational programs cannot cover education-related expenses without external help.
This percentage rises dramatically to 87% among families living in subjective poverty, and to 70% among those where parents have low educational levels.

The most affected groups of children

• Children from Roma families (78% risk of poverty)
• Children from rural areas (41.7% risk of poverty or exclusion)
• Children from single-parent families (36.5%) or large families (50.9%)
• Children from refugee families displaced by the war in Ukraine — only 28.4% of these families say they can meet most of their basic needs
• Children of parents with low education levels — 75.8% at risk, compared to 5.9% among children of university-educated parents

Main causes of child poverty in Romania

• Low investment in children: Romania’s spending on social protection (12.8% of GDP), education (3.3%), and healthcare (4.7%) remains well below the EU average.
• Weak data collection and monitoring systems: Official mechanisms designed to track vulnerability factors (such as ethnicity or parental migration) are underused or poorly implemented.
• Unstable and unpredictable funding: National and EU funds lack multiannual planning and predictability, limiting the sustainability of social interventions.
  
  “The fact that poverty is passed from one generation to the next shows that education is the main link through which these disadvantages persist — both in terms of participation and quality.
  It is crucial to ensure educational inclusion for all vulnerable children, as part of integrated social policies that actively support both children and their parents.
  Poverty kills education. The funds raised through the Festival of Christmas Trees are vital not only for supporting these children directly but also for reminding society that restoring the right to equal education is a shared responsibility,” said Gabriela Alexandrescu, Executive President of Save the Children Romania.
• Written by News.ro |