Watch brand Bovet 1822 has sponsored the APJ Brilliant is Beautiful Fundraiser Gala event, which raised more than £850,000 for Haiti and women’s education, just days after hurricane Matthew devastated the Caribbean island.
Held at Claridge’s hotel, the event was co-hosted by an influential team, including APJ (Artists for Peace and Justice) founder and multi-Academy-Award-winning filmmaker, Paul Haggis, Alan Cumming, Petra Nemcova, Kelly Brook, Moran Atias, Caroline Stanbury.
The Royal Chef prepared an 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.
Due to Bovet’s support, APJ is able to give all of the money raised directly to support health, dignity and education programs around the world. Including the funds raised in London, £6.5 million has been raised since 2013 to benefit the APJ fund.
At the gala dinner, model Karen Elson was presented with the first ever Brilliant is Beautiful Award, which recognises 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 addition to honouring Ms Elson, the Awards Dinner helped raise vital funding for a coalition of educational programs serving some of the most needy 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 and a private dinner at the exclusive Fawley Court with the Royal Chef.
