During the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, an event of great generosity was held at Villa Forbes. In partnership with Forbes France, Le Grand Dîner de Charité was organized to support the Born This Way Foundation established by Lady Gaga and her mother.
Villa Forbes welcomed The big benefit dinner with elegance. Guests were immersed in a magical atmosphere, surrounded by the luxury and charm of Cannes. The evening promised to be unforgettable and to offer all guests a unique experience. Exceptional hosts and artistic performances: to liven up this special evening, the charming Ophelia Meunier And Raphael Say acted as co-moderators. Her charisma and dynamism helped create a warm and friendly atmosphere throughout the evening. Guests also had the pleasure of witnessing a number of notable artistic performances, including that of the trumpeter Brian Newmanni, a close friend of Lady Gaga. Beyond the magical moments, this evening had significant philanthropic significance. Thanks to the generosity of guests and partners, Approximately $75,000 was raised to benefit the Born This Way Foundation. These funds will be used to support the Foundation’s initiatives to advance young people’s mental health and create a more caring and inclusive world. We were privileged to interview Cynthia Louise Germanotta, mother of Lady Gaga who is also co-founder of the Born This Way Foundation. In this exclusive interview, she will share her inspiring vision and commitment to the mental health of young people.
@LDG
What are the main reasons for establishing the Born This Way Foundation?
“The foundation was established more than ten years ago when my daughter began telling her story on stage. As a mother, it made me nervous to see her speaking about her pain to thousands of strangers, but this openness was paramount to her own healing and to so many young people finding validation in her experiences. She showed them that they were not alone, that they were not without hope and that they too could share their story and receive kindness, connection and resources to support their mental health. These young people continued to share with my daughter and I – behind the scenes, in the audience, online and beyond. These stories and experiences inspired the creation of the Born This Way Foundation and marked the beginning of our movement to build a kinder, bolder world with all young people. »
How does the Foundation envision creating a more loving and caring world for young people?
“Since the foundation’s inception, it has been imperative for my daughter that younger generations feel better equipped than she to face life’s challenges. In addition, she wanted to ensure that young people’s perspectives, stories and ideas are at the heart of what we do. We have gathered the opinions of tens of thousands of young people – in person and online, through advisory boards, academic research and carefully designed surveys – and used them to shape every aspect of our work. »
What are the Foundation’s main areas of intervention in the field of young people’s mental health?
“Today’s younger generations face ongoing, intersecting crises and challenges, all of which have significant implications for their mental health. However, given the challenges they face, we see an incredibly resilient, brave and caring generation. They want to speak out about their mental health and are looking for tools, skills and resources to support their own mental health and that of those around them. But often they don’t know how to talk about their mental health or where to find support. At the foundation, we strive to create safe, caring and positive spaces, encourage healthy conversations about mental health and educate young people about the resources they need to thrive. The Born This Foundation aims to empower young people’s emotions and remove the stigma surrounding mental health. Recognizing that it takes a concerted effort to support the mental health of young people, we achieve these goals through impactful programmes, youth-led conversations and cross-sector strategic partnerships. We are also careful to integrate young people’s perspectives into all of our programs and resources to support their mental health and ensure their unique experiences and needs are front and center. »
@LDG
Can you give us specific examples of programs or initiatives launched by the Foundation that have had a positive impact on the lives of young people?
” All of our programs and initiatives are based on our research and conversations with young people, and emphasize the undeniable connection between kindness and mental health. Young people told us they needed tools and resources to support their own mental health and that of others. They can learn how to do this with accessible online courses, such as the Be There certificate, developed in collaboration with our friends at Jack.org. This free online mental health course (available in English, French, and Spanish!) provides a simple and practical framework that will teach you to recognize a person’s issues, understand their role in supporting that person, and connect them to the help they need and deserve. This course is not just for young people, but for anyone who wants to advocate for young people or learn more about mental health. We also know from research that young people who report that their community is caring perform better on mental health indicators. We help nurture these online and offline communities through platforms like Channel Kindness, our online storytelling platform that invites us all to share stories of kindness, resilience and community, and empowers young people to take action on causes close to their hearts. Another of our newest kindness initiatives is #BeKind365, an online platform where you can commit to being consciously kind year-round, send messages of kindness and affirmation, find suggestions for kind actions, and see the impact of your kindness around the world. »
How does the Born This Way Foundation promote inclusion and diversity in communities?
“We recognize that meeting the needs of all young people requires a collaborative approach. We do this by integrating research, extensive funding, targeted storytelling and expert advice into all aspects of our work, with the ultimate goal of promoting kindness, inclusion and acceptance. We conduct extensive research to better understand how young people from different communities experience kindness and mental health. This allows us to provide resources and initiatives that meet their specific needs. Through our Kindness in Community Fund, we actively fund community-led efforts as part of our commitment to support free, accessible, and community-informed mental health support. Our Channel Kindness storytelling platform is a powerful tool to amplify stories about inclusion and resilience and foster a culture of empathy and positive change. And to ensure our initiatives remain relevant and reach younger generations, we work closely with our Advisory Board, a diverse and passionate group of young global changemakers. »
Many partners were committed to the success of the event
The big benefit dinner for the Villa Forbes was made possible by the valuable cooperation and support of numerous partners. Among them were present Picture, galenic, Dom Perignon, Reginald dunlap, High hospitality, G.Anvi, My itineraryand the local partner association Our colors on the water, founded by Mathis Sauliere. Their commitment and support helped make the evening a complete success. The grand charity dinner at Mansion Forbes supported a noble cause by raising funds Born This Way Foundation. This evening brought together film personalities, artists and committed partners, all with the aim of creating a more loving and caring world for young people.