Make-A-Wish® Celebrates World Wish Day® on 29 April

Make-A-Wish will observe the second annual World Wish Day, a global day of wish granting, on April 29, 2011 with 1000s of people participating from the 41 countries the Foundation serves around the globe.

Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. The Foundation has granted over 250,000 wishes since 1980.

World Wish Day is organized by Make-A-Wish to commemorate the anniversary of the wish that inspired the creation of what is now one of the world’s leading children’s charities. Seven-year-old Chris Greicius’ wish to be a police officer was granted in Phoenix, Arizona by volunteers on April 29, 1980.

To celebrate Chris’ wish and the work of the Foundation, Make-A-Wish affiliates, chapters and supporters from all over the world will be joining in the celebration through wish-granting events in their communities and online at worldwishday.org. World Wish Day highlights include:

• NBA Star and Make-A-Wish France Ambassador, Tony Parker, will be featured on CNN International’s World Sport program, to air on Thursday, April 28 at 6am, 11:30am, 5:30pm & 11:00pm EST on CNN International, talking about his involvement with the Foundation and his support of World Wish Day
• Netherlands: World No.1 tennis star, Rafael Nadal, granted Inez, 18, from the Netherlands wish to meet him on 19 April in Barcelona
• Brazil: Singer/songwriter Luan Santana granted 4 wishes to meet him to Jalida (18), Maria Carolina (12), Mariana (12), and Pedro Henrique (7)
• India: granting 124 wishes across the country on World Wish Day
• Greece: George, 9, will have his wish to have a pony granted in St. Elmo’s square in Athens
• Belgium: Wish child Tuur, 9, will ring the bell at Euronext Brussels to kick off his wish day to be a TV reporter. Wish children will ring bells at stock exchanges across seven countries on 29 April, including Amsterdam, Brussels, Dublin, Istanbul, Lisbon, New York, and Paris
• Korea: Minji, 15, had her wish to be a singer granted through the recording of three songs. Her songs will be showcased for her professional debut with famous singers, her family, friends, volunteers, and sponsors on 30 April. Profits from the sale of the songs will benefit Make-A-Wish® Korea
• United States: Visitors to Times Square in New York City will learn about World Wish Day activities thanks to Thomson Reuters, which will display wishes being granted around the world on its Times Square digital billboard

Ambassador Vassilis Kaskarelis is welcoming Maureen, 16, to the Embassy of Greece in Washington, D.C., for a send-off celebration. Maureen will receive her wish to visit the Greek island of Santorini in July.

“Granting children’s wishes through Make-A-Wish is a rallying point for people around the globe,” said Jim Fielding, Board Chair, Make-A-Wish Foundation International and President, Disney Stores Worldwide. “It unifies everyone in a common cause, to bring hope, strength and joy to children with life-threatening medical conditions. We want our communities to join in that spirit by celebrating the wishes being granted in their national and local areas on World Wish Day. We encourage people to start this journey with us at worldwishday.org.”

World Wish Day Corporate Supporters include: Hard Rock International and Ringo Starr’s Lotus Foundation, Mattel, CNN International, Blizzard Entertainment, Disney Store, NYSE Euronext, Brooks Brothers, Thomson Reuters, The Atlantic and Arnold Worldwide.

There are many ways for you to participate in World Wish Day:

• Make a donation
• Refer a child
• Spread the word by using Facebook and Twitter to share World Wish Day videos, photos and news from the Make-A-Wish International Facebook page
• Donate your Facebook status or a tweet on Twitter in honor of World Wish Day
• You can also download and share the World Wish Day profile picture with your network