The 2011 fundraising gala to benefit the Andrea Bocelli foundation

Los Angeles, California (December 5, 2011) – Girard-Perregaux, iconic luxury Swiss watch brand, is proud to partner up with Andrea Bocelli, the worldʼs highest selling solo artist in the history of classical music, in the launch of his new foundation, the Andrea Bocelli Foundation, with a 2011 Benefit Gala on December 9th.

The foundation will be launched at a fundraising event produced by Studiomusica and Jo Champa presented by the Grammy Museum Foundation and will be held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles and will seek to raise funds and awareness for its efforts to fight poverty around the world and to help people overcome barriers caused by illness, discomfort or disability.

“We are very proud and excited to join forces with Andrea Bocelli in the launch of his new foundation”, says CEO of Sowind Group (Girard-Perregaux and JeanRichard) Michele Sofisti. “His accomplishments as an artist and philanthropist are an inspiration to all of us and we are happy to support him in this new pursuit”.

“I feel very strongly about helping people make the most of the world that we live in”, says Andrea Bocelli. “I was born with a poor eyesight and became completely blind at the age of twelve. Overcoming blindness and dealing with its consequences has taught me about the nature of externally imposed limits, and has encouraged me to think about how to help and support others facing barriers in their lives. Every human being has the right to be
happy, fulfilled and to live a flourishing and meaningful life. I want to help those who face barriers in achieving their lifeʼs potential”.

The Gala will feature a dinner and performances by Andrea Bocelli himself as well as David Foster, Heather Headley and Anna Maria Martinez.

About the Andrea Bocelli Foundation

The Andrea Bocelli Foundation will be a grant making body, aimed at supporting those living in poverty or overcoming barriers caused by illness and disability in order to deliver tangible real life results. Two types of programs will be supported- those that alleviate poverty and those that help people overcome physical limitations caused by illness. The Foundation will actively seek to identify innovative and original projects to support.

Andrea Bocelli

About Girard-Perregaux

Girard-Perregaux is a Swiss high-end watch manufacturer tracing its origins back to 1791. The history of the brand is marked by legendary watches that combine sharp design with innovative technology such as the renowned Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges presented by Constant Girard-Perregaux in 1889 at the Paris Universal exhibition where he was awarded a gold medal.

Devoted to the creation of state-of-the-art Haute Horlogerie, the Brand is one of the very few watchmakers to unite under the same roof all the skills to design and manufacture watches including the forging of their heart, the movement. With over 80 registered patents, Girard-Perregaux is fully committed to research and development to constantly fuse its unique heritage into modern watchmaking.

A note from the editor

Tickets are still available and you can get them here ».