The Fairmont Monte Carlo’s Salle d’Or Ballroom transformed into a nexus of environmental advocacy on Saturday night as Borneo Wildfire Preservation hosted its Save the Rainforest Charity Gala, raising over €16,100 for critical conservation efforts across three continents.
Distinguished guests including Prince Charles Philippe d’Orleans and Princess Naiomi d’Orleans joined conservation leaders, entertainment figures and passionate supporters for an evening combining Monaco glamour with urgent environmental purpose.
Katerina Pirelli-Zucchetta, Founder and President of Borneo Wildlife Preservation, opened the evening with a compelling address on the dangerous situation endangered Bornean pygmy elephants and the rainforests of Sabah are facing.
“Human development and wildlife conservation must go hand in hand,” Pirelli-Zucchetta told attendees, highlighting the challenges posed by the Pan Borneo Highway—a 2,000-mile infrastructure project fragmenting critical habitats. “We’re actively working with the Sabah Wildlife Department and state government to mitigate these situations.”
The gala featured addresses from international conservation leaders, each highlighting different aspects of the global wildlife crisis.
Shannon Elizabeth, actress and founder of the Shannon Elizabeth Foundation, delivered one of the evening’s most powerful messages. “What if I told you the greatest crimes in our world today aren’t just against people, but against the planet itself? And what if I told you they’re one and the same?” Elizabeth asked the audience.
She detailed her foundation’s work with the Khusela Endangered Wildlife Sanctuary in South Africa, born from the story of Munu, a blind black rhino. “Blinded in territorial fights and found wandering in circles, Munu couldn’t survive on his own, and letting him die was never an option,” Elizabeth explained.
The sanctuary has since expanded to include a wildlife hospital, quarantine and release facilities for rhinos, and deployment of cutting-edge anti-poaching technologies within a conservation corridor that will eventually span over 1,000,000 hectares.
“Conservation isn’t just about animals or land, it starts with people,” Elizabeth explained. “Communities should not just be included in conservation, they must lead it.”
Chris DeRose also took the stage to highlight the critical situation at Virunga National Park, Africa’s oldest national park now threatened by conflict. “Today, there are 23 rebel groups moving in,” DeRose reported. “I personally spoke to Anthony, the head of the airway unit, and he expressed how difficult it is now with this war to protect the animals.”
Despite these challenges, DeRose noted significant progress: “In 2018, there were only 300 gorillas left and they were listed as critically endangered. Today, they’re listed as endangered and there’s more than 1,000 gorillas.”
Chris DeRose, founder of Last Chance for Animals, was recognised for his decades fighting animal cruelty. “This includes horses, dogs, sheep, gorillas, elephants, rhinos, and any other animal that was ever documented to be in this world,” Van Der Was said, encouraging attendees to support the foundation’s work.
Sustainable fashion showcase dazzles attendees
Following a three-course gourmet dinner, teenage designers from global youth movement Junk Kouture took center stage with a remarkable sustainable fashion showcase. Creatives aged 12 to 19 presented striking garments made entirely from recycled materials including Nespresso capsules, bottle caps, and glass.
The evening’s culinary offerings matched the event’s environmental ethos while celebrating regional flavours. Guests enjoyed carpaccio de gamberoni with Menton lemon and Timut pepper, followed by Mediterranean Sea bass with local zucchini and its blossom in a saffron-infused jus. The meal concluded with Carros strawberries with marjoram, complemented by Australian wines throughout the evening.
The charity auction proved a highlight of the evening, raising €16,100 for conservation projects. All proceeds will directly benefit initiatives including the Borneo Elephant Sanctuary, where work focuses on mitigating human-wildlife conflict related to the Pan Borneo Highway; Virunga National Park in Congo, supporting ranger programs and protection efforts; and the Khusela Wildlife Sanctuary in South Africa, advancing rhino conservation.
As the formal program concluded, guests danced into the night, celebrating the connections made and commitments to action for the world’s most threatened ecosystems.
“We’re not here tonight to admire the problem. We’re here to change the outcome,” Elizabeth reminded attendees. “The time is now. The choice is ours.”
See more in Kyriaki Topalidou’s video reel below…
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