Our mission – Water preservation
Water is fundamental to Swarovski’s story - and to life itself. To ensure this valuable resource is protected for current and future generations, Swarovski established the Swarovski Waterschool project in 2000.
The Waterschool began as a local initiative in Swarovski’s home country Austria, and has since grown into a global endeavor with programs in eight countries, including Austria, Australia, Brazil, China, India, Thailand, Uganda, and the USA. Each program sets up local initiatives to provide access to safe water and sanitation facilities, and educates students and community members on proper hygiene, sanitation, and sustainable water use. Ultimately, Swarovski Waterschool seeks to empower communities and create water ambassadors who will help preserve this precious resource for the future.
Swarovski Auction to celebrate this important mission
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Created by Swarovski artist Martin Zendron, the mesmerizing Elephant Hekima is the leader of her herd: the grandmother. Elephants are matriarchal by nature, placing the oldest and largest female in charge. This grandmother elephant is the bedrock of her community, responsible for defending and looking after each member. As the oldest member, she is also looked to as the group’s source of survival wisdom. The name Hekima was chosen as it means ‘wisdom’ in Swahili.
“The herd places a huge responsibility on this experienced matriarch,” Zendron says. “Consequently, my design decision was to create [her] in a walking pose, to represent the wandering with the herd and the constant need for guaranteed access to water.”
Created in stunning detail, Elephant Hekima shimmers with a total of 34,233 Swarovski Crystals in seven different colors: silver night, silver shade, light grey opal, light smoked topaz, greige, smoky quartz, and jet. Together, these colors create the authentic gray, beige, and ochre color palette of the impressive African elephant, while also giving Hekima the signature Swarovski sparkle.
Elephant Hekima is created in patented Pointiage™ and has been designed solely for auction to benefit the Swarovski Waterschool. This breathtaking figurine will be on display to view at Swarovski’s Roosevelt Field store.
About Waterschool USA
Established in 2016, the Swarovski Waterschool project is based in the state of Illinois on the banks of the illustrious Mississippi River and is hosted through the National Great River Research and Education Center at the Lewis and Clark Community College.
The project works largely in public schools in economically disadvantaged areas. It offers teacher training, student workshops, and summer camps to engage and educate community members about sustainable water practices as well as the importance of the Mississippi River and the natural resources it provides.