The Collette Foundation has announced it has pledged $200,000 to support humanitarian organisations on the ground in Ukraine following its decision to cease operating tours in Russia and to withdraw from all other business interests in Russia.
The Collette Foundation says its US $200,000 pledge will aid specific organisations on the ground to assist refugees and persons impacted by the escalating crisis in Ukraine.
“The commitment to making the world a better place through travel has always been Collette’s core purpose. Providing this level of support is at the forefront of why our family chose to create the Foundation and situations such as these are exactly why we do what we do,” said Jaclyn Leibl-Cote, President of Collette.
Collette has also announced it will be ceasing operating tours in Russia through 2023 and to withdraw from all other business interests in Russia in support of a peaceful resolution to the current conflict and a halt to ongoing aggression and casualties.
The current situation is that the conflict is isolated in nature and distant from the parts of Europe where the majority of Collette’s European tours operate.
The company does not anticipate that the situation will have a significant impact on the rest of its European tours.
“Our thoughts are with the people of the Ukraine, and we stand with them in support of freedom, a sincere hope for peace, and a rapid de-escalation of this conflict,” said James Hewlett, Head of Marketing & Business Development.
“We are committed to taking care of the places where we travel and supporting the Ukrainians in this difficult time is part of this.”
Collette isn’t the only company taking these measures. Airlines are changing routes, cruise lines have axed Russian ports from their itineraries and Intrepid has cancelled all trips in Ukraine and Russia for the foreseeable future.
Earlier this week, The Intrepid Foundation also launched an emergency appeal with the Australian Red Cross to provide emergency relief for communities affected by the crisis in Ukraine.
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