“Chime for change is a community of people working to promote education, health and justice for every girl and every woman, anywhere”. This phrase headlines the web page of the organization, founded by Gucci, which serves as a meeting point and echoes the voices of women from around the world.

It is boosted by Catapult, the first digital platform for crowd-funding (a system of collective cooperation where anonymous individuals donate or provide resources for projects created by other people or organizations) that focuses exclusively on women of all ages. Beyoncé Knowles, Salma Hayek and Gucci’s Creative Director Frida Giannini are among the celebrated women who founded the organization. Catapult’s mission is to connect members of different communities with more than 80 projects and organizations in 70 countries.

Unfortunately, the stories of violence against women, the lack of resources, inequality and suffering continue to plague all regions of the planet. Gucci wanted to provide a space to voice those concerns through Chime for Change, a deeply felt commitment that started long ago. For seven years the Italian brand has been working elbow to elbow with UNICEF to educate young girls, and is currently supporting the Kering Corporate Foundation, which focuses on stopping violence against women.

The Sound of Change Live concert, held at London’s Twickenham Stadium on June 1, was a crowd-pleaser that accurately reflected the organization’s values. In its website you can find a long list of projects in support of health, education and justice initiatives.

These beautiful words are part of the Chime for Change manifesto as it appears on their website.

“Throughout history, women have done things differently.

When we need to get something done, we do it together.

With each new generation our story has spread wider.

The voices telling it braver, more powerful.

But the story is far from over. These are extraordinary times.

Thanks to technology, women across the world have the ability to connect in ways unimaginable to those who went before us. We believe that connection empowers us.

We are proud to be joining a growing movement of many.

The young and the old, women and men, from all cultures and all walks of life who want to see change. Not one, but billions of voices calling for the empowerment of girls and women. Empowerment through education, through health, through justice.

This is about hearing a call – to join us wherever you are.

About raising an alarm – drawing attention where there is work to be done.

Our issues are the world’s issues.

This is the sound of connection.

This is the sound of progress.

This is the sound of change.”

But they are not just words. Chime for Change invites us to enhance our lives by improving the world, to fight for equality, to give a voice to those who don’t have the means, to lend a helping hand and, above all, to remember that together we can change the world.

Long Live Chime for Change! ■