DR: What’s new for the Bazar International in 2016?

EE: For the time being we have to settle. We have 70 stands from 61 different countries, and there is a waiting list. So there are no new stands for this year. There is little room to grow, but then again growth doesn’t necessarily mean better quality.

DR: The principal charity to benefit from the Bazar this year is the Blue Dragons children’s foundation in Vietnam. How are the charities chosen?

EE: The stands propose different projects, then the seven committee members make a short list of the projects--we look at different criteria, including whether their needs meet the limited financial support we can provide. The final choice is made by the heads of all the stands.

DR: You were elected president last year, but how long have you been involved with the Bazar?

EE: I started in 1995 at the German stand, and then served as the head of that stand between 1996 and 2008. In 2010 I joined the committee. I took over as president last year--it is something like running a small company. But we are all volunteers.

DR: Do you have enough young volunteers coming through to manage the Bazar in the future?

EE: We have around 1,400 volunteers during the weekend of the Bazar. But we do need more volunteers, especially for the committee. It is difficult, because the younger generation are all working. We have 61 national stands, but we are not sure how many different nationalities work with us.

DR: Last year the Bazar International raised some 600,000 euros. Do you expect to meet that target again this year?

EE: Yes, like every year we hope to match the previous year. We are shortly going to make a donation to the victims of Hurricane Matthew in Haiti from our “fonds d’aide humanitaire d’urgence.”

DR: And finally, will there be a royal visit at 
the Bazar International this year?

EE: Yes, we have a visit planned. We cannot yet confirm who it will be, but it will be a top-ranking royal.

This article was first published in the December 2016 issue of Delano magazine. Be the first to read Delano articles on paper before they’re posted online, plus read exclusive features and interviews that only appear in the print edition, by subscribing online.