Sarah, The Duchess of York recently attended a “fully booked” “glitzy charity ball” for the sole purpose of helping to save endangered Asian elephants. The Elephant Ball 2016 was held in Gothenburg, Sweden and it is there that Sarah Ferguson also made an appearance on the TV talk show Skavlan earlier that same afternoon.
“The Elephant Ball is a charity gala dinner that raises awareness and funds to protect wildlife with a portion** of the proceeds donated to Elephant Family – an NGO dedicated to protecting the Asian elephant.”
**Sarah did say in her Skavlan interview that the 2016 Elephant Ball was dedicated exclusively to endangered elephants (see interview transcript below).
Skavlan Interview***: Sarah Duchess of York interview on Skavlan (Scandinavian) TV talk show program (in English, Sarah Ferguson interview starts at 39:21 on the Skavlan program & at 42:17 Sarah speaks of The Elephant Ball, at 53:13 Sarah speaks of elephants again)
***The following portion of the Sarah, Duchess of York interview was transcribed from the Skavlan (Scandinavian) TV talk show for the benefit of saving elephants, and full copyright remains with them.
Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York Image: CC Wikipedia
Skavlan: “Sarah you are here in Scandinavia because, uh, of uh, what’s called The Elephant Ball. Uh, umm, and what is that?”
Sarah: “It is so exciting. It is so exciting. I think normally they do it for animals but this time we did it for elephants and it was just incredible. It’s The Perfect World Foundation that really has thrown themselves into supporting forgotten elephants of Asia.”
Skavlan: “So, it’s like a normal ball, but it’s for the benefit of elephants? It’s not a ball with elephants there.”
Sarah: “There is no elephants there and it is so exciting because there was many, many, many many people that donated a great deal in order to really take the underdog, the Asian elephant and give it a voice. They are a sort of foghorn for the trumpets of the elephants of Asia.”
“And one of the stories, Fredrik, it is so sad. It is so sad. But they put a railway line and the little baby elephant got caught under the train and mommy elephant got so cross cause she saw her baby dying that she waited 48 hours and the train didn’t come, the train didn’t come, & she was crying and wailing and she was so angry. And eventually she waited for a train to come, then she got cross and she pushed the train off of the rails. ‘There, don’t touch my baby. You killed my baby and you are going to get punished for it.’ And she remembered, she remembered.”
“So these elephants are so special and because also, the Asian elephant has tusks in the forests. And what happens (just quickly) is that if they kill the Asian, the father, the teenage elephants go rampaging because they don’t have anybody to control them so it is just like human beings, teenagers, who go out of control and they need a strong discipline. And so when, so it is very sad, so really there is no difference between these animals and humans. And our job and the elephant family’s job is to say ‘Let’s not forget them.’”
Singer: Laleh: “I think one of the amazing things that you are saying to us is also their culture cause it is very, they are very peaceful. But they are starting to get aggressive because how they are treated. So not only are we ruining, like extincting (sic) {Sarah interjects with: “endangering. They are an endangered species.”} yeah, endangering them but also their culture of kindness which we could probably relate to that kind, kindness, the culture of kindness, is also dying in a way. {Sarah: “Absolutely”} And that way maybe we could relate to it more.”
{Sarah: “I think you are absolutely right. Because, I think the more that we can show love, like Mother Teresa always says ‘ With the heart of love, with the hands that serve.’ And the elephants have always been great workers, haven’t they? They have always served.” }
{Singer: Laleh: “And peaceful.” }
Sarah: “And peaceful. And it is really us that has gotten in their way. And I think it is like young people now. I think parents don’t (perhaps overcontrol…this comment unintelligible) control their children so that then the children act out. I think it is listening respect, dignity. Well, How do you feel, how do you feel?”
Skavlan to actress Josefine Frida Pettersen : “Do you care about elephants?”
Josefine Frida Pettersen, actress: “Yeah, well, elephants is my favorite animal. Like, it’s my number one bucket list to meet an elephant and I went to this, you know I went to this, umm, you know, umm {Skavlan: ZOO?} yeah, zoo, this summer and I actually got to see an elephant but I just started crying because I was so sad that they lived there. SO I AM NEVER GOING TO A ZOO AGAIN.”
Sarah: “How would I put myself in the shoes of an elephant in a zoo, caged?
I would really mind. And I would get out, actually.”
AUDIENCE APPLAUSE…..
Fredrik Skavlan: “They say that elephants never forget. How about the Queen?”
Sarah (laughs): “You are so funny. You are so funny.”
Skavlan: “Well its sort of elephant-relevant.”
Sarah: “The thing about what you are talking about is beautiful family unity. And the elephants have beautiful family unity. And they have this incred.. in the forests and they all live in harmony. Why should they not be allowed to not live in harmony? Why should they be attacked, why should they be..their dignity be taken? Why should they be hurt, hmm? So there is no difference between the elephant family and our families. (Sarah looking to the actress, Josefine, now).We need to treasure it and we need to always remember not to just have to go to the zoo to see one.
But in answer to play back to you Frederik, there is no greater lady that I have met in my life than the Queen.”
Skavlan: “Sarah Ferguson thank you so much for being here.”
Sarah: “Thank you Fredrik. Thank you.”
Source: Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, on Skavlan
The Elephant Ball 2016 Held to Benefit Endangered Asian Elephants Image: The Perfect World Foundation
Images: CC Wiki : Sarah ; The Elephant Ball, A Perfect World Foundation
Resources:
“The Duchess of York Will Attend The Elephant Ball in Gothenburg, Sweden” from The Perfect World Foundation
For photos of Sarah Ferguson at The Elephant Ball see Lady in Red! Duchess of York Dazzles at a Glitzy Charity Ball in Sweden…here at The Daily Mail Online
The Elephant Ball 2016 Facebook
@SarahTheDuchess Sarah Ferguson Twitter
Sarah Duchess of York interview on Skavlan (in English: Sarah starts at 39:21 on the Skavlan program & at 42:17 Sarah speaks of The Elephant Ball; at 53:13 Sarah speaks of elephants again)
Wikipedia Sarah Duchess of York
Wikipedia Skavlan
Wikipedia NGO Non-governmental Organization
Wikipedia Laleh
IMDB Josefine Pettersen
Skavlan : About