UNICEF “Check Out For Children Challenge” Fund Raising

Nusa Dua, 16th November 2004 - The Westin Resort, Nusa Dua, Bali in cooperation with UNICEF Asia Pacific will hold a charity event in conjunction with the “Check Out for Children Challenge” campaign. The theme of the campaign this year is sports, in the spirit of the Summer Olympic Games. Divided into 3 activities, the campaign consists of a Heavenly Bed drawing & colouring competition on the 21st November 2004, a Charity Tennis exhibition on the 4th & 5th December 2004, and a daily Egg & Mug Painting lesson all the way until 15th December 2004.

The Heavenly Bed drawing & colouring competition will take place at the Exhibition Hall of Bali International Convention Center assisted by Rotaract-Bali Kuta as the organizer. “My dream” will be the theme of the competition, in conjunction with Heavenly Bed 5th Anniversary which is celebrated globally. The participants are elementary school students, ranging between six to twelve years old. The event targets 200 children from public schools, handicap special schools, in-house guests, and employee’s children.

The second activity is a Charity Tennis Exhibition coordinated by PELTI & Joe Russell Tennis International. The event will take place for two days, on 4th and 5th December, at The Westin Tennis Garden, starting from 7 am until finish. The game is open to children between eight to fourteen years old. Winners will bring home attractive prizes, such as round trip airline ticket Jakarta – Denpasar – Jakarta, free tennis lessons with the Westin Resident Tennis Director, Scott Jeffrey, and many more.

Supported by Travel Works Communications International, Garda, Aroma Meat processing, Diamond Ice cream, Gramedia, Teh Botol Sosro, the event is expected to succeed in gaining some funds for the UNICEF Asia Pacific, with the goal to raise $100,000 in the Asia Pacific to assist UNICEF in immunizing thousands of children in the region against major childhood diseases that can be prevented by vaccination.

The Challenge will enable UNICEF and its partner’s to reach children between the ages of 9 months and 14 years in UNICEF’s ongoing vaccination campaigns. In addition, children under five years will be given Vitamin A at the same time.

The Starwood / UNICEF partnership has made a real difference to the lives of children everywhere, and has played a valuable role in the successful advancement of immunization programs in recent years. In the early 1970s, fewer than 10% of children were vaccinated. Today, 3 out of 4 children are immunized before their first birth, as a result of the efforts of UNICEF and its partners.

During the last nine years, Check Out for Children has helped to ensure that UNICEF’s life saving work continues.

Westin Hotels & Resorts, with 122 hotels and resorts in 31 countries and territories, is owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. and was voted the number one upper-upscale hotel brand for three years in Business Travel News’ “Annual U.S. Hotel Chain Survey.” Starwood Hotels & Resorts is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 740 properties in more than 80 countries and 105,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. With internationally renowned brands, Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts including: St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, Sheraton, Westin, Four Points by Sheraton and W Hotels, as well as Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For reservations or more information, please contact your travel counselor or visit www.starwood.com or www.westin.com.