Many friends and members of the CitéStars association were present at Chesnay du Roy, near the Parc Floral in Paris to celebrate the 25th anniversary of CitéStars and celebrate the 5th edition of the Eoiles d’Or award.
The CitéStars association was created in August 1998 by personalities from the sporting and artistic world, (David Donadéi, Jean-Pierre Castaldi, Nordine Kourichi, Michel Milojevic, Julien Lorcy, Mouss Diouf, Luis Hernandez, Vincent Filice, Michel Bensoussan, Pascal Claude and Pascal Sellem) to help children from disadvantaged backgrounds and young people from working-class neighborhoods in the Paris region. She also helps children with respiratory heart diseases and those who are victims of sexual assault.
Every year for 25 years, the president, David Donadéi, has organized a Christmas tree at the Phénix circus and a gala evening whose profits will go to the association with the aim of helping children, organizing visits, trips, social actions and many other projects. In this process, it is helped by sponsors and partners (media, catering, hotels, services, hair salons, sports stores, etc.). Personalities (athletes, artists, singers, presenters, journalists, photographers, etc.) also come to support him. The moments are immortalized by photo and media professionals.
The partners
Every year, there are more and more partners and sponsors wanting to help children in difficulty. The members of the association’s steering committee are all volunteers and are involved in helping young people in need. Comtesse La Fée champagne was the official partner of the evening. Other partners and sponsors include Bréard, Miami Soul, Pyro Folies, Cirque Pinder, hairdressers Camille Albane and Jean-Louis David, Vic Paris, Maison Vérot, Gérard Bertrand, Fauchon l’Hôtel, Salons Hoche, Eat Sushi, Hôtel California, Hôtel Le Péra, Hôtel de la Porte Dorée, MSocial Hôtel, Pénélope, Finzi, Le char de Fromages, Beillevair, Miss Beauté Nationale, Maison Lohezic…
The guests
Many of them responded « yes » to David Donadéi’s invitation to celebrate the 25th anniversary of CitéStars and the 5th edition of the Etoiles d’or which reward personalities of the last 25 years for their dedication and generosity. As usual, the President gave the best of himself – and even all his energy – for this cause which is so close to his heart and to make it unforgettable.
Among the guests, there are those who have been there from the start but also the new arrivals of the year, who are delighted with this experience and will not hesitate to repeat it in the coming years. Jean-Pierre Castaldi, Smain and Philippe Candéloro were not present but provided a message.
In the room, we could meet Martin Lamotte (member since the 1st edition), Jeanne d’Hauteserre (mayor of the 8th arrondissement of Paris) and Natacha Amal (A first for both), Jean-Michel Moutier (general director of CitéStars ), Coco Wintouski (Coco le Rigolo), Isabelle Morini-Bosc (journalist), Bébert des Forbans, Laurent Jeanne (mayor of Champigny), Michel Bensoussan, Patrick Balkany, Pierre Lechantre, Maiva Hamadouche, Jean-Philippe Lustyk, Michael Jones, Isabelle Severino, Vanessa Gusmeroli and Gwendal Peizerat, Ghani Yalouz (DG at INSEP), Guy Amram (actor), Katia Tchenko, Sophie Darel, Danièle Gilbert, Patrick Préjean, Alain Turban, etc.
The rewards
After the cocktail, the photocall, the speeches of Ghani Yalouz and Guy Amram who presented David Dondéi and the screening of the clip « Les enfants de CitéStars », the skaters Vanessa Gusmeroli and Gwendal Peizerat, called on stage the other guests who made a call for donations and the Raffle. Joniece Jamison started the first musical part with a Tina Turner medley before the awards ceremony:
- Etoile d’Or 2023: Boxers Stéphane Ferrara and Cyril Benzaquen
- Gold Star 2023: Pierre Lechantre (ex-footballer turned coach)
- Golden Star 2022: Maiva Hamadouche (boxer)
- Honorary Trophy: Jean-Philippe Lustyk (boxing journalist), Katia Tchenko, Danièle Gilbert and Sophie Darel.
- 2023 Trophy of Honor and its Star: Michael Jones (singer)
- Trophy of Honor 2023: Guy Amram (actor)
- Golden Star 2022: Patrick Balkany (former mayor of Levallois)
As dinner service began, a new series of awards were handed out:
- Gold Star 2023: Ted Sanders (singer of the group “Les Vagabonds”), Daniel Lauclair (journalist), Isabelle Severio (artistic gymnastics and aerobics champion), Marc Scalia (former host) and Jean-Marie Bigard (comedian) who made a donation of 1,000 euros for the association.
- Honorary Trophy: Michel Boujenah and Daniel Russo
- Honorary Trophy and Golden Star 2023: Plastic Bertrand (after his mini concert), Patrick Préjean and Andréa Ferreol
- Trophies awarded to partners: the companies PyroFolies, Toutvent, Domaine Fabre, Maison Lohezic, Hôtel Fauchon, Options SAS, Bréard, Camille Albane hair salon, “Le Bistrot du Parisien”.
Tribute paid to deceased personalities in a mini concert by the young violinist singer and songwriter Calypsa who accompanied this passage with music by Ennio Moricone.
Calypsa subtly mixes pop and Celtic music, singing her own songs including “Enlevez-moi” while accompanying herself on the violin and flute. The faces of the deceased personalities then appeared successively. We were thus able to recognize Ticky Holgado, Jacques Villeret, Guillaume Depardieu, Guy Eberlé, Mouss Diouf, Jean-Pierre Mocky, Linda de Suza, the Bogdanoff brothers, Geneviève de Fontenay, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Bernard Tapie, Christophe Dominici…
Drawing of the raffle and distribution of prizes followed by a mini concert by Philippe Cataldo before the awards ceremony:
- Gold Star 2023: Cartouche, Bibi Naceri, Tom Novembre, David Donadéi.
- Delivery of bouquets of flowers and boxes of champagne.
To close the evening, Maureen and Nono ex Chocolat’s performed their songs before the final bouquet to Brazilian tunes and the group photo.
Portrait of David Donadei
Educator in municipal structures in Val-de-Marne, David Donadéi organized football matches between young people and police officers in the 1990s. Founder of the Citéstars association, dedicated to “disadvantaged children”, he participated in 2003 and 2006 on the show “Fort Boyard”. Driven by his energy, he also ran three times in the municipal elections in his town of Chennevières.
At the same time, he set up a football club in the 20th arrondissement of Paris, Olympic Citérstars FC, which existed for 16 years. In the meantime, he is a member of the statutes and regulations of the Ile-de-France football authorities in the Seine St Denis district. David Donadéi is the first professional footballer to be a candidate for the presidency of the FFF in 2016. He has been a professional footballer and professional coach in Morocco, Rwanda and Thailand. Today he is preparing a play (French Actor Studio) with Thierry Samitier, directed by Jean-Luc Moreau, which will be released in the fall.
On January 7, 2024, the Citéstars Christmas tree will take place at the Phénix circus in the presence of the children who will receive their gifts.
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