
Name: Florin Chilian
Title: Patron Copii in Dificultate
Department: Board of Trustees
Location: Romania
Florin Chilian, a popular singer and renowned journalist recently became a patron of CID Romania having been actively involved in fundraising events over a number of years. Florin’s commitment and support flows from his own childhood, which he describes as “dark and traumatizing”. His early childhood, in an apartment shared with his mother and sister in one of Bucharest’s meaner neighbourhoods brings only bad memories of “hunger and the terrible desire to be adopted”. When Florin was three his mum simply left, him in an orphanage but he ran home to the only people in his family who loved him, his grandparents. After a while, he left to live on the streets, his time on the streets taught him that he must learn to survive that money meant food so the gang started to steal flowers and sell them so they could eat. For a while, he even slept in the sewers desperately seeking the warmth of the underground heating pipes near sports clubs. With his friends, he started singing in subways to make a little money mostly around Christmas. Florin was in the street seizing freedom when the revolution of 1989 swept Ceausescu away he saw other young men die around him so with his new-found freedom, he took the “golden” road to France seeking life experience and opportunity. He tried work in casinos, met and fell in love but never seemed to settle. He was called back to music immersing himself and sacrificing for his muse. In November 2001 he cut his first album “Iubi-Interface to reality” which was well received but it was the follow up “Ten Commandments” that confirmed his popularity even with the most sceptical critics. His gold and platinum album “The Autistic" followed in 2009 to universal acclaim. As a performing artist Florin has refused to compromise his integrity to popularity or publicity, and he determines himself what to sing, where and for how much. He is an inspiration for the young with little or no support, who have talent, ambition, commitment, potential and a passion to succeed, but he is also a man who has not forgotten his past and is ever willing to help other make the grade.