Event Brings Inspiring Music and Message of Hope to Romania

Local Churches and Hundreds of Volunteers Are Preparing for the Festival of Hope with Franklin Graham at Dan Paltinisanu Stadium July 4-6

TIMISOARA, Romania, July 3, 2008—Joined by high-energy musical artists, and supported by hundreds of local churches and volunteers, Franklin Graham will bring a message of hope and encouragement to the people of Romania July 4-6 at Dan Paltinisanu Stadium in Timisoara. Romanian President, Traian Basescu and Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu have have also invited Graham to meet with them when he arrives in the country.

This is the first time Franklin Graham has held a Festival in Romania; however in 1985 he and his father, Billy Graham, visited seven cities in Romania. An estimated 150,000 people attended the meeting in Timisoara.

"Everyone is welcome," said Graham, who is coming to Timisoara at the invitation of local pastors and church leaders. "I hope that anyone in Romania who is struggling with questions about life or would like a new beginning will come to this Festival of Hope."

During the three-day event at Dan Paltinisanu Stadium, Franklin Graham will present an encouraging nightly message. The Festival of Hope will also feature popular musical performers including John and Ann Barbour, Dennis Agajanian and Huntley Brown.  There will also be a mass choir made up of volunteers from the Timisoara area, a philharmonic orchestra, a brass band plus musicians from Romania, Italy, Ukraine and Moldova.  A special KidzFest event for children will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday.

The Festival will begin each day at 6:30 p.m.  All Festival programs will be open to the public and free of charge.

Since 1989, Franklin Graham has held an average of seven Festivals each year as an evangelist for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Graham is president and CEO of the organization and continues to travel the world as president of the international Christian relief organization Samaritan's Purse.

In 2008 Graham has held events in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Knoxville, Tenn. and Villahermosa, Mexico.  Additional Franklin Graham Festivals will be held this year in Charleston, S.C. (Sept. 19-21); and Taipei, Taiwan (Oct. 30-Nov. 2).

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