It is amazing. It is magical and I am so proud this happens in my town,” says Fernanda Ribas, who is one of 200,000 people that gather every holiday season outside HSBC’s Brazilian headquarters in Curitiba, Parana. The concert is a major event in the city’s annual calendar and features 120 young singers, aged 7 to 14, performing from the windows of HSBC’s Palacio Avenida (Avenue Palace).
The children appear to float from the windows of Palacio Avenida while they sing carols. But behind the scenes, cables and about 200 HSBC volunteers ensure the safety of the young cast, all of whom live in foster homes and other institutions that are supported by the bank.
Eduardo Lima, HSBC Brazil Sustainability Manager, says: “Since 2008, we have supported 11 shelters and foster homes by providing services and technical partnerships that benefit all children involved, not only the ones that sing in the choir.”