International Events

As well as taking the UK by storm, Comic Relief-inspired events have started to spread across the globe.

From Iceland to South Africa, events based on Red Nose Day and Sport Relief have popped up all over the place. These are normally done under licence rather than run by us, which means we work with TV stations, charities and other parties.

Take a look below at some of the events that have been a great success. Not only have they raised awareness of people living in poverty and lots of cash for good causes, they’ve also put a smile on millions of faces.

If you’re interested in running an event or just want to find out more, please drop us an email at international@comicrelief.com

Canada
Juste Pour Rire (Just for Laughs)

Finland
Nenäpäivä (Nose Day)

Germany
Red Nose Day

Iceland
Dagur Rauda Nefsins (Red Nose Day)

Norway
Rødnesedagen (Red Nose Day)

South Africa
Sport Relief

USA
Idol Gives Back 2007

International
Sport Relief Miles

Just for Laughs, Canada

In Canada, Comic Relief holds a licensing agreement with the Juste Pour Aider charity.

They run the Juste Pour Aider TV fundraising event that takes place every other year at the end of the extremely popular Juste Pour Rire comedy festival.

Half the funds raised go to Maison Du Pere, a Canadian homeless charity, and half go to international projects funded by Comic Relief UK. In 2009, the event raised an impressive 600,000 Canadian Dollars.

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Red Nose Day, Finland

In Finland, our licensee is the charity Ylen Hyvä, who run their Nenäpäivä or ‘Nose Day’ in partnership with the national TV station Yle.

The event has gone from strength to strength since it began in 2007, which saw a guerrilla placement of red noses on all the key statues around Helsinki and Tampere.

Their last event in 2011 raised more than €1.9 million to help change lives.

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Red Nose Day, Germany

Our licensee in Germany, TV station Pro 7 initiated Red Nose Day in 2003 and it has taken place annually ever since, raising a total of €9.9 million to help needy children around the world.

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Red Nose Day, Iceland

In Iceland, our licensee, UNICEF, held its first Dagur Rauda Nefsins (Red Nose Day) in 2006.

It was a huge success and their last event in 2010 raised over 117 million Icelandic Krona. A fantastic achievement – especially for a population of fewer than 350,000 people!

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Red Nose Day, Norway

Our licensee in Norway held its first Rødnesedagen (Red Nose Day) on 29 November 2009 on the MTG network, with Save the Children as the principal beneficiary.

9 out of 10 people in Norway have now heard of Red Nose Day, and their last event in 2010 was a huge success raising a tremendous 7 million Norwegian Krone. Top work Norway!

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Sport Relief, South Africa

In March 2010, the first ever international flagship Mile took place in Cape Town, South Africa.

The spectacular route took in the beachfront promenade and the glorious new Cape Town Stadium, with over 3500 runners and walkers of all ages and abilities raising funds for disadvantaged kids supported by Child Welfare South Africa.

Football legend Alan Shearer and double Olympic gold medalist Dame Kelly Holmes joined local presenter Tammy-Anne Fortuin at the Cape Town Mile, where they presented all the local action for a two-hour Sport Relief TV show that aired across Africa.

Idol Gives Back 2007, USA

In 2007, Comic Relief played a key role in organising the American Idol charity special ‘Idol Gives Back’, which was a huge TV fundraiser in the United States.

We also set up a new US charity to distribute the money raised. And it raised a lot.

In total, the event pulled in a massive $75 million, with 50% of the money going to projects in Africa and 50% to charitable organisations in the United States.

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Sport Relief Miles

In recent years, Comic Relief has worked with the British Council and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to take the Sport Relief Mile around the world. Now that’s one big mile…

These fantastic events took place in the following countries:

2006 – Cameroon, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, South Africa
2008 – Egypt, Malawi, Mauritius, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Yemen
2010 – too many to list here but it was in over 55 countries around the world!
2012 – lots more in store so watch this space!