The Better World Fund Cannes edition
The Better World Fund brings together year on year celebrities from all over the world. This edition the Egypt was the country of focus and so Egyptian charity founder Anwar Elkamony, H.E. the Ambassador to Egypt in France and last but not least superstar Laila Eloui were in the middle of attention. For me an unexpected suprise to meet the great Egyptian actress which is known beyond the MENA region here in Cannes at the Better World Fund again after we got to know each other last year at the Alexandria International Film Festival for Mediterranean Countries where she received the Lifetime Achievement Award and later we met again at the El Gouna International Film Festival where she was the president of the jury.
The Better World Fund brought together cinema, culture, diplomacy, philanthropy, and global advocacy during its Gala for Humanity on May 18, 2026, at Copal Beach on the Boulevard de la Croisette, held during the Cannes Film Festival. Former bond girl Olga Kurylenko came with a new project which she presented on stage.
A defining moment of the evening was the presentation of the Best Engagement Award to Sharon Stone, the internationally acclaimed actress, humanitarian, and global advocate, in recognition of her remarkable cultural influence and longstanding commitment to humanitarian causes. Accepting the award from Manuel Collas de la Roche, President and Founder of the Better World Fund, Stone delivered one of the evening’s most memorable speeches, using the moment not only to receive the honor, but to reflect on the deeper responsibilities that come with visibility and influence.
On women, Stone spoke of dignity, respect, and origin, reminding the audience that the way women are treated reflects the way humanity understands itself. “It is important for men to recognize that you are the child of a woman,” she said. “The respect, dignity, and care that you give to women is a reflection of the respect, dignity, and care that you give to yourself, because that is your origin story.” She continued by emphasizing the importance of feeding, clothing, housing, and educating the women who may one day become mothers, describing this care as a reflection of how society feels about itself.
Stone then widened her message into a call for solidarity, urging guests to look beyond borders, beliefs, religions, countries, and ideologies. “It is very important that we understand that we are one,” she said, describing these divisions as stories created for comfort, rather than the truth of human existence. She invited the audience to recognize the vulnerability in others, reminding them that every person was once “a small, helpless, innocent child.” Her words drew a heartfelt response from the audience, transforming the award presentation into a moment of reflection, connection, and shared humanity, and standing out as one of the most poignant highlights of the gala.
An other emotional moment the audience whitnessed when Anwar Elkamony came on stage and shares his survival story, which let him found The Hope Giver Campaign.
The Hope Giver Campaign is a worldwide movement advocating the importance of spreading hope, inspired by a great survival story of Anwar Elkamony.
Alice Kanterian
