Founder

While on a business trip to South Africa May 2008 I was pictured here at The Michelangelo Hotel Johannesburg with Harry Belafonte and beside him Lawrence Maphosa (at the time the Head of Commodities and Trade Finance for Standard Bank) Mansa Musa Businessman I brought with me from Khartoum and behind us were the top FIFA executives that I later discussed how the business of FIFA works. Harry and I were discussing Children and he loved our TV Show Brigitta's Mystical Garden and said that he would appear as a Musical Guest Star on an episode and that he always supports children and Unicef in fact that he was on his way to speak in Quebec City in 3 weeks Thursday, June 5 at 5:00 p.m. Guest of honour at the Musee des Beaux-Arts de Quebec' benefit dinner and UNICEF Canada's annual meeting During his visit to Quebec City, internationally renowned artist Harry Belafonte, UNICEF's international ambassador, addressed journalists at a press meeting this Thursday, June 5.

In Quebec City for a benefit dinner on behalf of UNICEF and the Child Soldier Initiative at the des Beaux-Arts du Quebec and UNICEF Canada's annual meeting at the Chateau Mont-Sainte-Anne, Harry Belafonte met the media accompanied by artist, businessman and philanthropist Michel Bell, the Honourable Romeo Dallaire, retired Lieutenant-General, and Nigel Fisher, president and Chief Executive Officer of UNICEF Canada.

Although that was the only official press event during Mr. Belafonte's stay, journalists and camera crew were invited to follow him in his activities on June 5 at the museum event, Une soiree au Musee, organized by Michel Bell and on the evening of Saturday, June 7, when he served as guest speaker at UNICEF Canada's annual meeting at the Chateau Mont Sainte-Anne.

 Goodwill Ambassador Emeritus for UNICEF  Harry Belafonte quote   “I belong and work for the world’s most popular and powerful party: the children’s freedom party”    Mr. Belafonte was in South Africa often even making a film about his life - from childhood to the present, which was broadcast in 5 TV segments, in movie theaters and in private screenings in the United States and around the world. In this process, Harry explained that he had selected his audience carefully, wanting to capture the attention of policy-makers, those who should know about the realities of the struggle for justice in the context of globalization; the "haves and have nots"; the HIV and AIDS pandemic and the poverty stricken people of the world! In a bid to keep his life story at its best, Harry’s filming captured the voices and aspirations of South African leaders. He met  and  interacted with our mutual friend, former President Nelson Mandela, President Mr. Thabo Mbeki, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, national and provincial government officials (Gauteng and Western Cape); as well as leading singers, artists and intellectuals, children, women, men and their families; community leaders and the media. During discussions, Mr. Belafonte stressed that he would like to sustain and continue to work for the most popular and powerful party of the world, which he has named: The Children's Freedom Party. As December underscored the need for the world reflect on the plight of women and girls and  the links between gender-based violence and HIV and AIDS, UNICEF together with government partners arranged for  Harry to visit the Thuthuzela Care Centre at the Baragwaneth Hospital in Soweto. The Centre’s work is part of a powerful strategy aimed at addressing the high levels of sexual violence against women and children, especially rape.  Sexual violence poses serious challenges to society and the growing numbers of Thuthuzela care centres around the country are working to improve the process of reporting and prosecution of rape and other sexual offences in a dignified and caring environment. Thuthuzela services bring together communities, families, health, education, police services, Justice, social development, non governmental organizations. They seek to lessen the trauma of sexual violence and to reduce secondary victimization of survivors by providing professional medical care, counseling, access to dedicated investigators and prosecutors, all under one roof. Mr. Belafonte also visited the Sexual Offences Court linked to this Centre. A visit to a hospice centre in Soweto was also an eye witness of the efforts underway in South Africa to mitigate the epidemic yet recognizing the hurdles still ahead of the long road to bring it to a halt through comprehensive prevention, care, treatment and support programmes.