Cannes, France – May 20, 2025 – Amid the glitz and glamour of the Cannes Film Festival, the spotlight turned to global humanitarian work as the Better World Fund recognized the remarkable efforts of Amma, through Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham and AMMACHI Labs, for advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment across the world.
Held in parallel with the Cannes festivities, the event served as a global platform for dialogue and action on social justice. A highlight of the day was a powerful masterclass on women’s rights, gender equality, and education, led by UNESCO Artist for Peace Guila Clara Kessous, which brought together international changemakers to deconstruct stereotypes and explore innovative pathways to peace and equity.
Dr. Bhavani Rao, UNESCO Chair on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment and Dean of the Amrita School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, was invited as guest of honour. In her stirring opening remarks, Dr. Rao shared Amma’s transformative vision of a world where no social, emotional, or economic barriers limit a woman’s potential.
In her address, Dr. Rao emphasized:
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The core values that underpin genuine gender equality
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The interconnected societal benefits of empowering women
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How grassroots interventions in rural India can uplift entire communities
She shared key insights from Amrita’s fieldwork:
“What is unique is that we always have a systems approach: no work we do is siloed—it impacts multiple dimensions. Because poverty is multidimensional, we have multidimensional solutions.”
“Female energy is inclusive and doesn’t exclude anyone. When you give to women, it automatically goes to the community, to the families, to everyone.”
The day concluded with a gala ceremony celebrating global champions of humanitarian service, including Keni Silva, Marc Peine, Christian Vossele, and Mira Nair. Representing Amma, Swamini Amritajyoti Prana, Amma’s envoy to France and Europe, delivered a moving message of peace, compassion, and tolerance:
“In a festival celebrating beauty, creation, and transmission… Amma reminds us that human beings are also works of art—but living ones. And that perhaps the true masterpiece is learning to love, unconditionally, without fear, without return.”
A special moment of the evening was the presentation of a humanitarian award by Dr. Bhavani Rao to acclaimed filmmaker and activist Nandita Das, honoring her outstanding contributions to social change and advocacy through cinema and activism.
Watch the highlights from this inspiring day:
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This recognition at Cannes further cements Amrita’s global standing as a pioneer in systems-based, compassionate, and community-centered approaches to women’s empowerment—blending technology, tradition, and heart to build a better world.
