© Katia Belmadani
World premiere screening of “Lili’s Journey: Stories of Women's Social and Economic Empowerment in the 21st Century”

Written and directed by Laetitia Belmadani, Lili's Journey features the intertwined stories of women and men on the vital subject of women's empowerment and gender equality for the achievement of all of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Through the personal journey of Laetitia Belmadani throughout the world's most diverse cultures, traditions and religions, this documentary seeks to portray leading NGO's, the private sector and the link to public institutions and the UN system, in an attempt to clarify what it will take to promote women’s empowerment and gender equality.


The film features, among others, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan, Ms. Michelle Bachelet, Executive Director of UN Women, Mr. Muhtar Kent, CEO of the Coca-Cola Company, Ms. Andrea Jung, Executive Chairwoman and former CEO of Avon Products Inc., Mr. Francois-Henri Pinault, CEO of PPR, Ms. Zainab Salbi, Co-founder and President of Women for Women International, and Ms Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO.

The event will be opened by the Director-General of UNESCO, followed by the screening of the 90-minute long film (in English with French sub-titles) and a short artistic performance by Axelle Red, singer and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. Bernard de la Villardière is the Master of Ceremony. The film will be released worldwide in late 2012 and 2013.