Dear Friends and Colleagues,
This is a personal tribute to Archbishop Desmond Tutu, my dear mentor and Patron of Women’s Day Live. I’ve never met anyone like him in my life. A man of great heart, vision and action. I believe that what the Archbishop loved about the vison of Women’s Day Live, which is ostensibly Live Aid Women, was the ability to connect people in cities and countries around the world to help one another, in our shared humanity. His ability to connect and love all human beings was one of the most profound things about him. It is my hope that his lessons of love and care to those that need it most will grow as the power of music unites the heartbeat of the world in a global fireplace to share our common humanity.
The Women’s Day Live (WDL) Benefit Concert, is a live global mega-shed music extravaganza that was intended to celebrate and champion women worldwide on March 8, 2022, on International Women’s Day (IWD). The date for this International Music Festival is being moved to Mother’s Day, May 8, 2022. The world’s music stars will open the heart of humanity to help feed hungry children and their families. The legendary Louis J. Horvitz (Grammys, Oscars, Live Aid) is directing.
I first met Archbishop Desmond Tutu at the Vancouver Peace Summit which he was hosting with his Holiness, H.H. the Dalai Lama. I asked for a meeting to share my vision for the Women’s Day Live Global Benefit Concert (WDL). He said he could give me the time the next week at the Quest for Global Healing Summit in Bali. I flew to Bali, and shared with him and Leah Tutu my bold and exciting Global Women’s Economic Empowerment initiative. That was in 2004. He graciously accepted being the Women’s Day Live Patron. Then we went out to a discotheque to dance the night away!
Women’s Day Live is Live Aid Women. Global engagement. Global connectivity. Local Impact. Urgent action is needed now. Together we can make a huge impact. Live Aid proved the power of music to bring people together for a common cause. It had 40 simultaneous telethons. It put famine relief in the forefront, and forced leaders to address the issue of global poverty. If we do not put women and children at the forefront of global economic recovery efforts now they will be set back at least a generation. We cannot allow this to happen. Archbishop Desmond Tutu, was always the voice of conscience, a courageous lion unafraid to speak up against injustice.
Our mission is to use the power of music, global media, and celebrity to launch the Heart in Action Global Humanitarian campaign to galvanize a united global effort to respond to this catastrophic global humanitarian crisis.
THE BIGGEST GIVE BACK DAY IN HISTORY. We invite all the global music players, corporate and world leaders, and NGO’s to join us in a strategic partnership to create the Biggest Give Back Day in History. The GSMA said that an idea of a global music event is a stroke of genius. That they could help do a global micro-funding campaign via 750 of the World’s Mobile carriers to help feed the hungry. It’s never been done before. This is historic.
A New Humanity. The Archbishop dreamt of a new humanity that realizes that we are all inter-connected. He said ‘my humanity is bound up with yours’. As a human family we are at a decisive turning point. The World Food Programme is begging for help to save millions of lives. We need your support to launch this innovative globe-spanning philanthropic initiative to support them, Food Banks and Women’s Grassroots Funds.
All countries and charities who are experiencing unprecedented hardships can do their own Telethons/concerts with our platform and campaigns. Women’s Day Live will be a life memorable cultural experience of our shared humanity.
See WDL PRESENTATION on link below. *WDL is being updated for May 8, 2022, Mother’s Day.
Antonio Gutteres, at the U.N. said the world is hungering for International Co-operation. I am calling on you with a fierce urgency to step up with everything you’ve got to help combat global hunger which is sweeping the world with a devastating impact on women and children. We have 4 months now. We can do it if we start now. Live Aid happened in 3 weeks in 1985 because a group of men had the will.
I’ve come to believe that all leadership is a matter of the heart. Join us in producing the “We are the Women of the World” music video and song to help raise Humanitarian Aid like “We are the World” did, to give voice to women and girls around the world.
Be a Champion for the world’s women and children. Help us make Women’s Day Live a reality. We need to engage all the teams to have all systems go now. Join us as a Foundational partner strategic partner to help with the development funding as we solidify the Sponsors and broadcast deals. We invite you to invest in the future.
A true man of his word, the Archbishop would send out letters to various leaders to invite support for Women’s Day Live. WDL became a Clinton Global Initiative commitment at the personal invitation of President Clinton. Throughout all the years of effort, we came close on four occasions to making Women’s Day Live happen. He never stopped believing in the mission and kept his name in support on the project even after retiring.
Working together we can make a significant impact. It is the only great hope for the future. Our human family needs your gift. If you have talent to give, resources or money, the time to do is it is now. If ever there was a time to use the power of music to bring a vision of hope for the future of humanity and lend a helping hand this is it. It would be too heart breaking not to see this happen now. The stakes could not be higher.
We welcome all people of vision and heart with open arms. Join us. We are in a race to save lives, livelihoods and secure the future we want.
I have given my heart and soul to achieve this mission to advance the education and empowerment of women and girls worldwide. I prophesied this dystopian future, the assault on freedom and democracy and this severe humanitarian crisis. I have climbed every mountain and traversed the world to be in a position to be ready to help. I felt that educated empowered women were the key to safe-guarding the future of democracy and the freedom to vote. See previous Blog for an Overview of the Mission.
I loved the Archbishop with all my heart. I send my deepest appreciation to his family. The Archbishop also graced my last PBS special with his compassionate presence. I think we all strive to emulate the generosity of heart of this magnificent man who walked amongst us. I feel very privileged to have known him and to have had his visionary leadership and support. I said I will never ever give up till we make this happen. That time is now. Faith and perseverance have kept me going. I expect a miracle now. It is exciting to see the support starting to rally.
This is a decisive moment in world history. Women’s Day Live will be a life memorable cultural experience, one that we desperately need. We can do a co-creation call out to give voice to women and girls worldwide. A global story telling platform. A great unleashing of creative expression by women and girls around the world. A social networking Bonanza! WDL offers a powerful convergence of innovative globe spanning philanthropy, taking social activism to a new level.
We are ready with an Emmy-Award winning team to swing into action and capture the airwaves and hearts of people around the world. Help lead the digital revolution in innovation with a vision of the possible future. Right now, it’s a race to save lives, livelihoods and the future of democracy. If we can stand together now, in a shared resolve we can be such a powerful force for change.
We invite your visionary leadership to join us in a dynamic partnership to make history. It’s showtime. Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s final words when he did this recording for Women’s Day Live, was Make this Humanity’s Finest Hour.
With warmest regards,
Lili Fournier
lili@womensdaylive.com
www.womensdaylive.com
www.lilifournier.com
www.questforsuccess.tv