For 11 days the participants will walk 1015 km through the territories of Romania and Bulgaria, within the unique initiative for the region;

The marathon is aimed at raising funds for 12 social projects – 4 from Bulgaria and 8 from Romania;

The Bulgarian Charities Aid Foundation and HOSPICE “Casa Sperantei” are the partner charity organizations again. UniCredit is the main sponsor of “1000km Balkan Charity Challenge”, as it also supports it through a donation program by its employees;

The donations to the Bulgarian causes can be made via the social network platformata.bg.

The fourth charity marathon “1000 Balkan Charity Challenge” will start on October 31st. For 11 days the participants will walk 1051 km through the territory of Romania and Bulgaria, within the unique initiative for the region. The absolute difference in the height of route is 3500 m. The full day course lasts 8 hours and 30 minutes, as the first four days (160 km per day) will be spent in bicycle riding, while the subsequent 7 days – in running (60 km per day).

The challenge will start from the head office of UniCredit Bank in Bucharest, Romania, on October 31st at 07:30h. The final will also be there on November 10th, at about 16:00h. The participants in the marathon will arrive in Sofia (“Sveta Nedelya” square – in front of the head office of UniCredit Bulbank) at about 15:30h on November 3rd, and will go back to Romania on November 4th, leaving at 08:00h from the same place.

The charity initiative raised more than EUR 120 000 for the three years in which it was held. After the success achieved, this year the marathon is aimed at raising funds for 12 social projects – four from Bulgaria and 8 from Romania. Participants are encouraging the healthy way of life and the practicing of outdoor sport, as well as the active ecological behaviour through planting unique tree species on the route which they pass.

The supported causes have been carefully selected by the organizers and they include social spheres like childcare and care for elderly people with disabilities, care for single elderly people, education, talent development and support for disadvantaged people.

The four social projects for Bulgaria are:

- 3 scholarships for university students with no parents who have excellent marks – BCAF;

- To cover, for 4 months, the rental expenses as well as the expenses for experts of the Small Club for children from care homes – The “Dechitsa” Foundation;

- 10 educational events for the children of Bulgarian and foreign nationals from all migrant communities – The “Multi Kulti” Collective;

- Sport for children with disabilities – “Begach” Running Club and BCAF.

The donations for them can be made via the social network platformata.bg. You can find more information about the projects and the runners on the website of the ultramarathon: www.1000balkan.com.

The main sponsors of the “1000km Balkan Charity Challenge” initiative are UniCredit Bank, UniCredit Bulbank, EuroIns, O&A, Spetema and CaliVita. The event is also supported by UniCredit Leasing, UniCredit Consumer Financing, IsoStar, Toyota, CityGrill, Aventuria, Gingk.Org, Doppelhertz, Brevis, Diplomat Plaza, Djili Soy and Danone.

The organizer for Bulgaria is “Begach” Running Club, while for Romania the event is organized by Elite Running, Eyes-Open and Ro Club Marathon.

You can find the complete route of the marathon on http://1000balkan.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/1000-Scасhedule.jpg.

More information for media:

UniCredit Bulbank, Identity & Communications Department

Viktoria Blajeva, Phone: + 359 2 9264 993, wjlj/ebwjepwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch

Magdalena Ivanova, Phone: + 359 2 9232 528, nbhebmfob/jwbopwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch