Avon Chairman and CEO Andrea Jung on Saturday celebrated Avon’s 125th Anniversary in New Delhi, the 15th stop on the 16-city “Avon Believe World Tour.” More than 2,000 Avon Representatives from across India joined to celebrate the company’s heritage and belief in its mission to empower women.
Held at Talkatora Stadium in New Delhi, the event witnessed an award ceremony to acknowledge the success stories of Avon Representatives. With a soulful performance by Aisha Ali, Avon Voices Semi Finalist, and a scintillating dance number by Prince Dance Group, winner of India’s Got Talent Season I, made the evening extra special even as the star of the company, Jung, addressed the audience with an empowering speech around the core theme of the tour ‘Believe’.
With this tour to India, Jung also brings her unmatched dedication to women’s causes through a program to end domestic violence. She presented a grant of $60,000 to CREA to continue its work to support victims of domestic violence.
The donation was part of the new $1 million Avon Global Believe Fund created to help support women’s domestic violence shelters and agencies in each of the 16 cities on the tour. Avon and the Avon Foundation for Women are funding an international network of outstanding nonprofit organizations to help them provide critical life-saving services for victims of domestic violence and their families. This global effort also aims to draw attention to the alarming lack of adequate services for women and children who are victims of domestic violence in communities everywhere.
“As the company for women, Avon feels an obligation and responsibility to play a leadership role in helping to improve the lives of women around the world, and we truly believe we can make a difference,” says CEO Andrea Jung. “Avon was founded in 1886, and has been inspiring and financially empowering women for 125 years. Today, Avon is the largest engine of economic opportunity for women on earth, serving more than six million Avon Representatives in over 100 countries.”
Hemant Singh, Managing Director, Avon India, says, “This anniversary is an opportunity for us to recognize the Representatives of India who make Avon the company for women. It is truly one of the only companies that transcends cultures and continues to empower women financially.”
Throughout 2011, approximately 125,000 Avon Representatives are expected to participate in the Avon Believe World Tour as it continues to make global stops in London, Istanbul, New York, Chicago, Mexico City, Warsaw, Moscow, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Manila, Shanghai, New Delhi and Johannesburg.
Avon’s new $1 million commitment is in addition to the company’s previously announced financial donations to other major partners in global efforts to stop violence against women including: the United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women; Vital Voices and the US State Department to establish the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Women; and Cornell University Law School for the creation of the Avon Global Center for Women and Justice. Through the end of 2010, Avon global philanthropy has donated more than $30 million to support awareness, education, direct service and prevention programs aimed at reducing domestic and gender violence in more than 50 countries.
Other 125th Anniversary Programs
In addition to the Avon Believe World Tour and Avon Global Believe Fund, Avon is also celebrating 125 years of empowering women with its previously-announced program, Avon Voices, the first-ever online singing talent search for women and songwriting competition for women and men. A renowned judging panel of music industry leaders from around the world includes: Fergie, six-time Grammy award winner; Diane Warren, legendary songwriter; Natasha Bedingfield, Grammy nominated singer/songwriter; Delta Goodrem, Australian Artist of the Decade; Lea Salonga, Filipina singer and actress; Ivete Sangalo, Brazil’s biggest pop star; and Russian sensation Valeriya. The program launched in December 2010 in more than 60 countries, and invites people around the world to share their voices, join in and sings out.