MILAN — Bulgari and Save the Children have partnered for 15 years and this longstanding relationship led to a masterclass at Harvard University on Wednesday, coinciding with World Children’s Day.
Two student clubs at Harvard Business School, the Retail & Luxury Goods Club and and the Social Enterprise Club, hosted the masterclass, which featured Fondazione Bulgari, in the person of Laura Burdese, deputy chief executive officer of the Rome-based jeweler, and Save the Children U.S. chief development officer Luciana Bonifacio.
“Bulgari and Save the Children share a deep belief in the power of giving back creating meaningful opportunities for future generations through the power of education and the fundamental right to health care,” Burdese said. “Throughout our longstanding partnership, we have seen the profound and tangible impact empowering over 2.3 million children in need around the world. This partnership goes beyond strengthening our corporate mission, it instills a sense of pride within the Bulgari community and inspires us to take an active role in driving positive global change. Together, Bulgari and Save the Children are motivated to continue building a brighter, healthier future for generations to come.”
In 15 years, the partnership has reached more than 2.3 million children in 39 countries through 139 projects aimed at strengthening high-quality education, youth empowerment, emergency response and fighting poverty.
With the luxury brand, the global humanitarian organization has so far raised $115 million globally through the custom-made Bulgari and Save the Children silver jewelry collection and donating 95 euros for each piece sold.
“Save the Children is proud of our longstanding partnership with Bulgari, which demonstrates what is possible when the private and public sectors come together with a shared vision,” Bonifacio said. “For us, the recipe for such a successful and lasting partnership lies in sharing a steadfast commitment, a global vision and a focus on results for children.”
The masterclass welcomed about 100 students, offering an opportunity to be inspired by a positive model of philanthropic cooperation while also gaining valuable skills and knowledge in the retail and luxury goods sector. In addition, it marked the beginning of a series of initiatives for Bulgari involving strategic academic institutions and major universities worldwide, aimed at motivating and engaging the next generation of leaders in the corporate social responsibility space.
In February, Bulgari celebrated the 15th anniversary with the release of a new pendant necklace as part of its Save the Children collection. The necklace was showcased in Bulgari’s #WithMeWithYou campaign featuring Anne Hathaway, Law Roach, Eva Herzigova, Jon Kortajarena and Beatrice Venezi. The #WithMeWithYou campaign was shot under the artistic direction of photographer Fabrizio Ferri, who also shot the first and other Bulgari and Save the Children campaigns over the years.
The commitment to Save the Children was started by Bulgari in 2009, and will now be continued by Fondazione Bulgari, an entity founded last March, as reported.
The brand’s CEO Jean-Christophe Babin also took on the additional role of president of the foundation, flanking Burdese as vice president.
The Rome-based luxury house has over the years embraced several multifaceted initiatives, collaborating with charities supporting gender equality or championing equal access to education. It has financially contributed to the preservation of Italy’s cultural heritage and established a support system for the crafts community.
The foundation also aims to promote contemporary art initiatives and partnerships with cultural institutions and offer visibility to emerging talents. So far this objective has been pursued by Bulgari through several initiatives, such as the establishment of the Maxxi Bulgari Prize in 2017, a biennial recognition born in collaboration with Rome’s MAXXI Museum and dedicated to young artists who have created their work in Italy. The jeweler over the years has also partnered with the Whitney Museum as a main sponsor for several editions of the Whitney Biennial.
The foundation is aimed at strengthening Bulgari’s commitment and offer more permanent value to its social, philanthropic and cultural projects. One of the cornerstones of the foundation is to help create equal opportunities for the next generation by fighting poverty, increasing access to high-quality education and health care, supporting gender equality and amplifying marginalized voices.
