PINK AS A SYMBOL OF VICTORY
La Scala in Milan, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Chain Bridge in Budapest, and the iconic Esplanade Hotel in Zagreb all have something in common – all these historic and imposing buildings are connected by the colour pink
On occasion of the global Pink Ribbon Month initiative, the P.I.N.K. Life association and Zagreb’s Esplanade Hotel last night welcomed numerous dignitaries from the city’s public life such as Matija Vuica, Tihana Harapin Zalepugin, Mirna Maras Batinić, Nenad Sovilj, current Miss Universe Arijana Podgajski, Andrea Trgovčević, prof. Davor Vagić and others at the Esplanade 1925 Lounge & Cocktail Bar, to jointly encourage and make women aware of the importance of regular breast examinations, announce the association and hotel’s actions throughout October, and to symbolically ‘paint’ the Esplanade’s façade pink.
The association, together with representatives from the Parliament and the City of Zagreb, emphasised statistical data and the importance of this initiative, and announced a number of commendable actions, including the Esplanade’s special pink afternoon tea, part of the proceeds from which are donated to the P.I.N.K. Life association.
The month of October is dedicated to marking the fight against breast cancer, and throughout its duration everyone is finding a way to best contribute to this issue. Sometimes that means raising awareness, sometimes it implies concrete help, and this year, the Esplanade Hotel is doing both. The partnership with the P.I.N.K. Life association will mark the whole of October. For the occasion, the front façade of the Esplanade was illuminated this evening, and it will remain pink until Saturday. This event was attended by numerous people from the public and political life of the city who came to support the initiative.
According to data, Croatia recorded 2,999 cases of breast cancer (143.2/100,000 rate) in in 2019, while 722 women died in 2020 (34.7/100,000 rate) from this malignant disease. Breast cancer is the third most malignant cause of death in women in Croatia, after lung cancer and colorectal cancer.
By the decision of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, the National Breast Cancer Early Detection Programme was launched in 2006. Within the programme, every two years all women in the Republic of Croatia between the ages of 50 and 69 are invited to undergo a mammogram, with the aim of reducing mortality from breast cancer, detecting breast cancer in the initial stage, and improving the quality of patients’ lives. Since the launch of the National Program and the introduction of mammography screening, progress has been made because there is an increase in the share of breast cancer cases detected in an early, localised stage and a decrease in those detected with regional and distant metastases. For the fifth year in a row, we have been recording in the Republic of Croatia a decrease in mortality from breast cancer (25%), which is the main goal of the Program.
The importance of breast self-examination, regular mammography examinations, as well as the conducting of activities for the purpose of education and public awareness of this malignant disease, have a crucial importance for the prevention and early detection of breast cancer.
Zagreb’s Esplanade Hotel has actively joined the P.I.N.K. Life association again this year and provided support to global and local initiatives. As part of the programme of responsibility in doing business, it has created a wonderful pink story with a humanitarian message. Namely, entire month of October at the Esplanade Hotel is dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of breast cancer prevention. All employees wear pink ribbons, and our popular Afternoon Tea was given a pink makeover. Renowned chef Ana Grgić Tomić (Chef of the Year 2022 by Gault&Millau) and awarded pâtissier Mirjana Špoljar joined forces and designed sweet and salty pink snacks that are served on a tiered stand with premium Ronnefeldt tea. In addition, premium cocktail master and Bar Manager Vjenceslav Madić, Master Kishoni has created for this occasion a series of pink cocktails such as Villa Sandi Prosecco Rosé, Rossecco, Pink gin and tonic, or Esplanade pink fizz that perfectly round off the story and overall experience. The idea of this pink story is to entice the ladies to participate, wear pink, take a selfie, and with their post and influence on social media encourage women to undergo early examinations. The Esplanade Hotel will donate 10% of the proceedings from the consumption of pink afternoon tea to the P.I.N.K. Life association at the end of the month. The offer is available from 7 to 31 October every day from 12:00 to 18:30 in the Esplanade 1925 Lounge & Cocktail Bar or on the Oleander Terrace. The limited pink edition of afternoon tea for two amounts to HRK 320 (42.47 EUR; 1 EUR = 7.53450 HRK). Table reservations at phone: 01 45 666 33.
“I am glad that this year we have continued with this tradition at the Esplanade and dedicated the whole of October to Pink Ribbon Month. The limited edition of pink afternoon tea was a real hit last year, and I believe that this year, too, it will attract many ladies to the Esplanade bar and the Oleander terrace, who will spread awareness about early examinations through social media. I sincerely hope that our engagement will contribute at least a little to this noble goal. I would like to thank all the partners and women from the P.I.N.K. Life association for a wonderful collaboration, which I am sure will continue in the future,” said spokeswoman for the Esplanade Hotel in Zagreb Sanda Sokol.
The President of the P.I.N.K. Life association said on this occasion: “The P.I.N.K. Life association joins other world cities for the seventh consecutive year, and the Esplanade for the second year in the lighting project. We support the fight against breast cancer by raising awareness of the importance of breast cancer prevention through early detection. I want to thank all the donors, sponsors and patrons, and institutions that are here today and that support us. Our goal is to make this campaign with the Esplanade a tradition and to work on this project to help breast cancer patients throughout the year.”
Giving support to this laudable initiative at a pink cocktail reception at the Esplanade were the Miva Wine Gallery, which provided a bubbly welcome with Prosecco Villa Sandi Rosé and Scapegrace gin, the Flower Gallery by Renata Lovrenčić, who decorated the Esplanade’s premises with her creative floral decorations in pink tones, Nickel – a local cosmetics company that provided pink gifts for the guests, as well as Krauthaker Winery which provided rosé wine, and Lite Prom, which provided the audio system and illuminated in pink the Esplanade Lounge & Cocktail Bar area and the hotel’s façade.
Esplanade Hotel has prepared for its guests at this event a pink version of afternoon tea with delicious delicacies selected by Chef Ana Grgić Tomić. Guests could enjoy pink snacks during the evening, such as salmon marinated in beetroot juice, croquettes made of kulen salami and herbs, crispy baskets filled with curd mousse, as well as the inevitable Esplanade štrukli, while sweet snacks in the form of pink macarons with dried rose petals, ruby cake cubes with raspberries, lolly pops with strawberries and gold dust, hibiscus cupcakes, and rosehip and white chocolate panna cotta were a special gourmet experience.
Photos from the event can be downloaded here (Photos by Goran Jakuš)
Esplanade Hotel contact:
Sanda Sokol, PR & Marketing Manager
T. +385 1 45 66 036, M. +385 91 47 666 47
Contact for P.I.N.K. Life association:
Iva Leko, PR
T. +385 95 3700 404