How did the 16th DVF Awards in Venice go? Held yesterday, August 28, in conjunction with the 82nd Mostra del Cinema

Last night, at the Teatro Goldoni in Venice, against the backdrop of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, the 16th edition of the DVF Awards took place. The recognition was founded by Diane von Furstenberg and the Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation in 2010 to celebrate women who have distinguished themselves through courage, resilience, and leadership. The Venetian edition honored five women who embody the complexity of today’s global challenges. Hanin Ahmed, a Sudanese activist, created a support network providing food, medical aid, and social assistance to civilians affected by the crisis in Sudan. Christy Turlington Burns, former supermodel turned activist, transformed her personal experience into a global platform for maternal health through her organization Every Mother Counts. Fany Kuiru Castro, an Indigenous Colombian leader of the Uitoto people, became the first woman elected to head COICA, the organization representing Amazonian communities, and has long worked to defend both land and Indigenous women displaced by armed conflict. Kim Kardashian was recognized for her philanthropic work and, above all, for her advocacy in U.S. criminal justice reform, which led her to earn a law degree and collaborate on concrete legislative changes. Finally, Giulia Minoli, president of the Una Nessuna Centomila Foundation, received the award for her work in Italy against gender-based violence through cultural, educational, and support projects for anti-violence centers.

“In these chaotic times, it is more important than ever that this year’s honorees are extraordinary women who have had the courage to fight, the strength to survive, and the leadership to inspire,” said Diane von Furstenberg, emphasizing the symbolic relevance of Venice as an international stage. Fifteen years after their creation, the DVF Awards continue to demonstrate the ability to translate aesthetics into action, avoiding the risk of self-referentiality that often accompanies initiatives linked to the fashion world. The selection of this year’s honorees – figures ranging from grassroots activism to media philanthropy – paints a fragmented yet coherent picture: one of female leadership moving between global urgencies and local contexts, showing how the very concept of empowerment must be constantly redefined.