BOVET 1822 raises over £850,000 for charity
Hurricane Matthew devastated Haiti once again just days before the inaugural BOVET 1822 Artists for Peace and Justice (APJ) Brilliant is Beautiful Fundraiser Gala event. The event took place on October 9, raising an impressive £850,000 for Haiti and women’s education in honor of supermodel and activist Karen Elson. Held at the majestic Claridge’s hotel, Bovet 1822 was again the evening’s title sponsor as APJ’s strategic partner.
The event was co-hosted by an influential team, including APJ founder and multi-Academy-Award-winning filmmaker, Paul Haggis, Alan Cumming, Petra Nemcova, Kelly Brook, Moran Atias, Caroline Stanbury.
The Royal Chef prepared an extraordinary dinner in conjunction with Gilles Bragard, the founder of the Club des Chefs des Chefs. The event launched APJ’s new initiative “Brilliant is Beautiful,” a scholarship fund for underprivileged women and girls worldwide. Thanks to the exceptional support of BOVET 1822, APJ is able to give 100 percent of every dollar raised directly to support health, dignity and education programs around the world. Including the funds raised in London, 8 million dollars have been raised since 2013 to benefit the APJ fund.
At the gala dinner Karen Elson was presented with the first ever Brilliant is Beautiful Award, which recognizes extraordinary longstanding commitment toward activism on behalf of the poorest communities on the planet, with particular focus on promoting women’s education, human rights, and leadership. In 2014, Karen became an ambassador for Save the Children and has visited the countries of Cote D’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Jordan and more to advocate for children and mothers in underserved communities worldwide.
In addition to honouring Elson, the Awards Dinner helped raise vital funding for a coalition of educational programs serving some of the neediest young girls in Haiti, Kenya, Pakistan, Peru, and Uganda. In Haiti, APJ’s own programs provide scholarships to over 1,500 young girls via their Academy for Peace and Justice high school and Artists Institute college.
A live auction throughout the evening, led by auctioneer Simon de Pury, helped to sell one-of-a-kind experiences that went for impressive amounts in support of the cause, including an unforgettable concert and dinner with Andrea Bocelli in his hometown, a “Rainbow Mountain Adventure” with renowned explorer Johan Ernst Nilson, an exclusive
tour with legendary Donna Karan, a private dinner at the exclusive and storied Fawley Court with the Royal Chef.
Bovet sponsored its first event supporting APJ in 2012, during which Bovet Owner Pascal Raffy was moved by the Foundation’s efforts and authenticity to sign an overwhelming 5-year commitment to APJ, pledging a donation of 1 million dollars a year. Mr. Raffy then traveled to Haiti to personally visit the school and witness the real progress being made in the community.
