A Kind of Magic
- 13 hours ago
- 2 min read
Freddie for a Day
The summer of 2015 marked the beginning of a very special partnership for Snehalaya through our sister project, Snehalaya UK. We were delighted to learn that the Mercury Phoenix Trust (MPT) had chosen to support our HIV/AIDS projects, creating a relationship that continues to make a meaningful difference to vulnerable communities in India.
There could hardly have been a better way to celebrate this new partnership than by joining thousands of fans from around the world at Freddie For A Day, the annual celebration of Freddie Mercury's birthday in the beautiful lakeside town of Montreux, Switzerland.
With the iconic Freddie Mercury statue overlooking Lake Geneva as the centrepiece of the festivities, we set up a Snehalaya information stall to introduce visitors to our work and distribute literature about our projects. Throughout the day, the town came alive with thousands of people dressed as Freddie, creating an unforgettable atmosphere filled with music, laughter and celebration as Queen's greatest hits echoed across the waterfront.
One of the weekend's highlights was watching an outstanding Queen tribute band whose performance captured the energy and spirit of the original group with remarkable authenticity.
The event also gave us the opportunity to meet members of MPT, including Queen's long-time manager Jim Beach and his wife Claudia, further strengthening the bond between our organisations.
It was a weekend that celebrated music, compassion and the power of people coming together for a common cause. In every sense, it truly was "A Kind of Magic'.
More than three decades after Freddie Mercury's death, his legacy continues to inspire action around the world. Through the work of the MPT and partnerships with organisations such as Snehalaya, Freddie's memory lives on not only through music, but through healthcare, compassion, education, and hope.
From the completion of an HIV hospital in 2015, to supporting children in 2016, empowering vulnerable women during the COVID-19 crisis in 2020, and launching the Mercury Mission in 2025, the impact of this partnership continues to grow.
Together, we are helping create a future where fewer people are affected by HIV, more people have access to healthcare, and vulnerable communities are given the support they deserve.
This coming 5 September would have marked Freddie’s 80th birthday, and thousands of fans from around the world will once again descend on the Casino Barrière in Montreux, Switzerland, for what promises to be an unforgettable celebration. The Great Pretender Gala it's set to be the party of parties—and, unsurprisingly, tickets sold out long ago!
A select number of NGOs supported by MPT, including us, continue to be highlighted at the event, and having been told that audiences loved our previous videos, we're determined to make this year's contribution even more special.
Read more about our partnership with MPT here and watch this space... 'Something Kind of Magic' is on the way... but can we top this?
