Tender is the Night

Opposite Vicomte Arthur de Soultrait and Jenna Courtin-Clarins at the Pro-Alvear Polo Trophy Event. This page Students from one of the rural schools supported by Pro-Alvear

When I was asked by my dear friend Juan Pepa to write about his Foundation Pro-Alvear and the charity event hosted in St Tropez this summer I couldn´t refuse. First of all, I admire Juan – Argentinian businessman, polo player and founder of the Fundación Pro-Alvear. He has passion and is devoted to everything he puts his mind to. Secondly, I am closely attached to all the wonderful projects related to children and their education that Pro-Alvear does in the Argentinian region of La Pampa. And last but not least, Pro-Alvear is the pioneer in doing such magnificent work in this remote land, and thus it needs all the support it can get. There are a great number of admirable charities across the world, but only Pro-Alvear focuses on this forgotten and distant area. We all think of Argentina as an emerging market with so many possibilities that it is unthinkable to imagine that there are some parts of its vast land where kids are living without access to any kind of education or hope for a greater future.

Fundación Pro-Alvear is a non-profit organisation that supports the educational, social and economic development of the Argentinian Pampas region. As Juan says eight years after its foundation: ‘Today we find ourselves with a very healthy and humble charity that has expanded into 15 villages across that vast territory, and which continues to support initiatives, including rural schools, IT community centres, sciences laboratories, sports and music academies, large-scale organic vegetable gardens, and major forest regeneration projects.’ These projects are designed to combat poverty and protect hundreds of children who are living in a beautiful part of the world.

But let’s get a deeper image of it. Close your eyes and imagine enormous, arid land, without any kind of connection to the modern world. This picture might even be peaceful for some of us more used to the stress of hectic daily lives, but don´t forget that the inhabitants of these villages live without the luxury to dream, without education and a vision for a future. They simply do not have an option to be what they want to be. Before Pro-Alvear, these kids could not become lawyers, writers, teachers or doctors because they simply didn’t have schools where reading and writing were taught. There was no future for them and I firmly believe that every child on earth should have the freedom to achieve their dreams.

Thanks to Juan´s work and devotion, a Spanish 31-year-old lady like myself is now aware of where La Pampa is on the map and I can raise my voice out loud for Pro-Alvear. As Juan himself said about the La Pampa region: ‘It feels like time stopped decades ago; the values of friendship are still what they should be in our modern world, families sit down for lunch and dinner on a daily basis and the TV and phones do not interfere in conversations. Through the Pro-Alvear charity we try to get at the root of the problem, the

improvement of our education system. We do not hand over clothes to the over 1,500 kids we protect. We open a vegetable garden for them and they learn from early on that by working they can sell what they produce and buy their trainers. We know that by launching a science lab or IT centre their curiosity toward the world will be fostered, and in the meantime, we spoil and pamper each one of our kids.’

And so the social events behind Pro-Alvear are utterly key not only in raising funds in magical and joyful ways – based on sports, friendship, positive vibes and excellent quality auctions – but also to create awareness of these forgotten kids and their families. So now yet-another summer has passed where Juan, employing his Argentinian charm and worldwide contacts, has worked hard to make a major event happen for this beautiful cause. And there I was witnessing the result while enjoying every bit of the evening.

The Polo Club St Tropez, besides having extraordinary facilities for polo players and spectators, has come to represent the glamour and elegance of Europe’s high society. Among the many events it hosts throughout the year, I was lucky to attend the Pro-Alvear Polo Trophy which took place on 20 July and I want to share the extraordinary experience with you. There are several aspects to highlight

Opposite Pro-Alvear Cup Final between Camino Real and Vicomte A; dancing to the music performed by the Gypsy Queens This page 15 villages are the locations of Pro-Alvear’s set of initiatives, ranging from science labs and IT centres to music academies and organic vegetable gardens

of this event. Fashion, with a capital ‘F’ is the first. The event was full of impeccably dressed women from all over the world, modelling all the latest trends and, in fact, are indeed trend-setters themselves as many are from inside the fashion world. In this regard, I shall let the images speak for themselves.

But the Pro-Alvear Polo Trophy is more than just fashion. Hidden behind pretty images, beautiful people, and an incredibly fun event is the real reason why all these outstanding women, great sportsmen, well-known businessmen and opinion leaders descended onto the Côte d’Azur that July weekend – they are all joined in one single cause, Pro-Alvear. Sponsored by GH Mumm champagnes, the event kicked off with wonderful cocktails followed by the exciting and competitive polo match. The atmosphere of this impeccable soirée was close and cozy, as we relaxed with old friends and new acquaintances, sharing our summer plans.

Following the tournament, an exquisite dinner was served, spiced up by rock band the Gypsy Queens who had us all dancing on our chairs. During dinner, the entertaining and extremely successful auction took place, chaired by the world-famous Harry Dalmeny from Sotheby’s. Thanks to his unique British sense of humour and sharp intelligence, I witnessed one of the most incredible auctions of my life. And just when we thought there could be no more unexpected surprises, as we were finishing the magnificent dessert, acclaimed DJ Bas from London rocked the party under the stars.

The climax came when the Argentinian beauty Mercedes Figueras performed on top of the DJ booth with her saxophone, creating the most extraordinary jazz-techno combination. The result was indeed and by far one of the greatest parties of this summer that took place in St Tropez, an award that Juan Pepa and the Fundación Pro-Alvear deserve most of all.

Q&A: JUAN PEPA President of Fundación Pro-Alvear

The Pro-Alvear charity was founded in the Argentinean Pampas more than eight years ago. It was a difficult time in my country, a time of anarchy in which we had five presidents in two weeks, another one of those famous Argentinian economic crises, and a time in which no one had any hope in the future and the only apparent solution was to renew your passport and run as fast as you could.

That’s when Pro-Alvear was able to turn that desperation into positive energy in the Pampas, a movement of many good-hearted patrons and friends who over time have taken this charity as their own crusade.

The Germans and French in their language associate the term Pampas to the ‘middle of nowhere’. They couldn’t be more precise, and that’s the sacred and beautiful side of the Pampas. It feels that time stopped decades ago, and the values of friendship are what they should be. It’s delightful to see that when you play polo if you dare change your horse in the middle of the chukka your groom will feel insulted.

We aim to expand to every single town and village of the Pampas with its full humble set of social initiatives. We have achieved so far 20 per cent of our target and there is a long way to go. If it takes 20 or 30 years we don’t care –the group of friends behind the charity are all young and we value more a pure and fun process than a spectacular set of results and achievements.

Pro-Alvear always had a strong connection to polo given that among its founders we have the Heguy family, who were born in the Pampas and have delighted us with their Chapaleufú teams.

Later Facundo and Gonzalito Pieres came in and we started with the annual Pro-Alvear Charity Cup that took place in Windsor for several years. This summer we moved it to St Tropez, where we raised over € 200,000.

The essence is on the good chemistry between players. The cup is played for the honour in a tough and fair way, just like Porfirio Rubirosa, Gunter Sachs and Carlos Menditéguy proved right in the Fifties and Sixties. And the charity is honoured to have the support of proper gentlemen like Lyndon Lea and Michael Bickford from the UK, Davor Luksic from Chile, Edouard Guerrand-Hermès from France, Gualtiero Giori and Mani Boni from Italy, Jaime Restrepo from Colombia, Gonzalo Mendoza from Venezuela, Amr Zedan from Saudi Arabia, Michael Borrico and Roderick Vere Nicoll from the US, among many other good-hearted friends from all over the world.

We all end up at the happy party, no one remembers the score, some of the unfortunate single ones who have persistently failed to meet the right lady usually find love, and on the back of all this we are helping to recreate that hope that was once lost in the Argentinian Pampas.

Opposite Juan Pepa. This page Pro-Alvear godchildren from the village of Chacharramendi