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Cannes Lions 2026: Oprah Winfrey’s Inspiring Message to Creators

Oprah Winfrey was presented with the 2026 Cannes LionHeart award by Lions Chair Phil Thomas.

Cannes Lions 2026: Oprah Winfrey’s Inspiring Message to Creators
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“Your legacy is every life you touch,” Oprah Winfrey told a room of creatives this morning in the Lumière Theatre at Cannes Lions.

Winfrey was presented with the Cannes LionHeart award by Lions Chair Phil Thomas, who joked that he had first invited her to the festival back in 2012 — a 14-year wait that finally culminated in a standing ovation for one of media’s most influential figures. Taking to the stage, Winfrey reflected on a career defined not just by reach, but by impact, and how she learned to turn influence into lasting change.

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