Los Angeles, California (May 17, 2012) – Girard-Perregaux, iconic luxury Swiss watch brand, was proud to partner with Nobel Peace Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu for a conversation with author Robert V. Taylor. How to be happy, change the world and embrace a new way to be human was held in LACMA’s Bing Auditorium in Los Angeles with hosts Elizabeth Wiatt, Maggie and Trevor Neilson, and Global Philanthropy Group.

Over 500 guests attended the conversation; a private reception was held immediately following. For this special event, Girard-Perregaux presented Archbishop Tutu with an engraved 1966 collection watch in honor of his philanthropic accomplishments around the world.

“The world we have is a gift to cherish”, says Archbishop Desmond Tutu. “We should not only protect its elements but also the people who inhabit it. We should all strive to live in a place where people not only respect, but also love the differences in one another. I am very thankful for Girard-Perregaux’s support in achieving these goals.”

“The leadership example that Archbishop Desmond Tutu has laid before us through his efforts with the Desmond Tutu Peace Foundation is worthy of much recognition”, says Sowind CEO Michele Sofisti. “It is in our youth that we can find the hope needed to live in a peaceful world. Through the foundation’s activities, Archbishop Tutu instills a feeling of love and unity in each child that will permeate everyone they come in contact with”.

The Girard-Perregaux 1966 is a model of timeless design. It features a 38 mm rose gold case and black alligator strap and houses a Manufacture automatic movement.


Girard-Perregaux is a Swiss high-end watch manufacturer tracing its origins back to 1791. The history of the brand is marked by legendary watches that combine sharp design with innovative technology such as the renowned Tourbillon with three gold bridges presented by Constant Girard-Perregaux in 1889 at the Paris Universal exhibition where he was awarded a gold medal.
Devoted to the creation of state-of-the-art Haute Horlogerie, Girard-Perregaux is one of the very few watchmakers to unite all the skills of design and manufacture under the same roof including the forging of the “heart” of the watch, the movement. With over 80 registered patents, Girard-Perregaux is fully committed to research and development to constantly fuse its unique heritage into modern watchmaking. Girard-Perregaux is majority owned by PPR, a worldwide leading Luxury and Sport & Lifestyle group.


The Desmond Tutu Peace Foundation (DTPF) helps people and societies create cultures of peace. One of the principal ways it accomplishes that mission is by developing programs that focus on young people. The programs use new media and traditional methods to convey to young people the work and wisdom of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, as well as other effective ideas and methods for “living peace” and implementing proven reconciliation and restorative practices.