Paulo Coelho

Ok, it is not every year that we can celebrate our 60th birthday! How will I spend it?
 
My birthday party was in March 19th, when I invited 10 readers from my blog to join my friends. We had a fantastic time together, most of them are now in my top friends list here (like Nika, Clara, Mariam, Rosa de los Vientos), and I am glad that I could do this. If you would like to have a look on the party, please go to my Photoblog.
 
However, we still celebrate our birthday in the day that we are born. I will go to Lourdes (close to St. Martin) at 00:05, the hour that I was born. Then, back to sleep, and have a normal day.
 
Why am I writing this?
 
Because I would like also to bring your attention to 430 children that need our help. The PAULO COELHO Institute is a non-profit-making institution financed exclusively by the author’s royalties. The main idea is not to be a charity, but to give opportunities to the underprivileged and ostracized members of Brazilian society. Thus, the Institute concentrates its funds on:
 
a) Children
b) The elderly
 
At present, the PAULO COELHO Institute provides financial support to Creche Escola Meninos da Luz, Lar Paulo de Tarso (in the Paví£o-Paví£ozinho favela, Rio de Janeiro : http://www.meninosdeluz.org.br ), that looks after these 430 children. In 1996 we started with 80 children, and we could go up to this number, but it is not easy.
 
If you live in Brazil, you can get in touch with Isabella de Moraes or Yolanda de Moraes Rego, phone numbers (5521) 2522-9524, 2247-0810 or 2247-8145 . I am always complaining that they spend too much, but they are warriors, the real warriors behind the project. They know what they need – even if I think they don’t need! But they are honest and reliable, and at the end I have to agree.
 
That said a great birthday gift would be a donation to Lar Paulo de Tarso. Here is the necessary information for sending the donation:
 
Checks
Solar Meninos de Luz
Rua Saint Roman, 149 – Copacabana
22071-060 – Rio de Janeiro – RJ Brasil
 
Depósito bancário/DOC/TED (para brasileiros)
Lar Paulo de Tarso
Banco 341/Itaú – Agíªncia 0269 – Conta-corrente 44924-5
CNPJ 29.274.131/0001-49
 
Money Order from out of Brazil
To Lar Paulo de Tarso
Bank/Banco: 341/Itaú
Agency: 0269-5/Rio Posto Seis
Adress: Rua Nossa Senhora de Copacabana, 1220 – Copacabana – Rio de Janeiro – RJ – CEP 22060-000
Account nº: 44924-5
CNPJ: 29.274.131/0001-49
Swift Code: ITAUBRSPRJO
 
If you have Google Earth installed in your computer, type
Rua Saint Roman 149, Rio de Janeiro 22071, RJ, Brasil
and you will see the favela Pavao-Pavaozinho (the houses scattered by the hill)
 
If you ever decide to send any donation, please write to Isabella ( [email protected] ) just for her to be sure that the money is not lost on its way.
 
Thank you for any support you may give us. Thanks on behalf of these warriors, Isabella and Yolanda. Thank you on behalf of these 430 children. Thank you on behalf of my country, for the difference you can make.
 
Love,
Paulo