Guardians of the Future

GUARDIANS OF THE FUTURE

The Antoine de Saint Exupéry Youth Foundation, named after the father of The Little Prince and the real-life hero of the history of aviation, celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.

B orn in 1900 at the dawn of the golden age of flight, Antoine de Saint Exupéry was a pioneer of aviation who helped to build airmail routes, taking part in the great human epic of Aéropostale (the world’s first transcontinental airline), as well as a war hero in his own right, decorated with the Military Cross for accomplishing a dangerous reconnais- sance flight over Arras during WWII, and who disappeared in 1944 over the Mediterranean while on an Allied flying mission aboard a Lockheed P-38 Lightning. Although his body was never found, he was commemorated with an inscription in 1967 at the Pantheon in Paris, a monument dedicated to the greatest men of France. Though a pilot and explorer in search of new worlds, examining civilizations from the skies to the oceans and the mountains to the deserts, and an ecologist before his time who foresaw the pressing environmental issues earth is facing, he was best recognized around the world as the author and illustrator of Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince) about a lonely prince from a distant planet with whom he shared similari- ties. This seminal masterpiece of poetic and philosophical si- gnificance with timeless planetary appeal (credited as the most widely-known French work of literature) has been translated into over 400 languages and dialects. in favor of marginalized youth worldwide – in domains including art, culture, education, literacy, handicap and aviation – As a humanist and award-winning writer, Saint Exupéry re- the Foundation’s objective is to offer them tangible support by flected on the human condition, and accorded a very high helping them build better futures for themselves so that they value to man, believing in universal values of fraternity, participate actively in society and contribute to enriching the friendship, duty, valor, selflessness and the invisible links that world. bind men together. Based on this incredible cultural heritage and the importance of honoring his memory by keeping these François d’Agay, President of the Foundation, and nephew and values alive, the Antoine de Saint Exupéry Youth Foundation godson of Antoine de Saint Exupéry, says, “The Antoine de Saint was born. Believing that the world needs responsible young ci- Exupéry Youth Foundation was launched 10 years ago on June 29, tizens, it was established in 2009 by the Saint Exupéry – d’Agay 2009 (the date of Saint Exupéry’s birthday) during an international Estate (the heirs of Antoine de Saint Exupéry) and its admi- conference at the Collège des Bernardins in Paris. Why a foundation? rers from the universes of aeronautics and literature. With Because we want to participate and to act. A foundation is an effective an increasing number of young people living in unfavorable way to help existing specialized associations morally and materially conditions, the need to teach them to feel responsible for their in the long term. The family of Antoine de Saint Exupéry is the first actions, to live together and be a part of a community, to find to lend its support to the Foundation, giving moral support where fulfillment through their work and to become engaged model the goal is to remain faithful to the thinking of Antoine de Saint citizens has never been more evident. Through local initiatives Exupéry, who wrote, ‘What am I if I am not a participant?’ Ten

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To mark its 10th anniversary this year, the Foundation is joining hands with the Pequeno Príncipe Hospital in Brazil (it- self toasting its centenary) – South America’s largest children’s hospital in which it has financed recreation areas and a mul- years have passed successfully, which encourages us to continue our timedia library inaugurated by Brazilian supermodel Adriana mission. We have evolved – our actions overseas have transformed Lima – to hold a gala fundraising dinner in New York City our vision of the world. We will evolve again; it is in the order of in October 2019. An official 10th anniversary celebration will things. Our experience gained in many areas allows us to consider take place in Paris the following month on the occasion of the with serenity the missions that await us over the 10 next years.” 30th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Gathering together the Foundation’s sponsors, patrons To carry out its activities, the Foundation relies on an impor- and representatives of the various NGOs it supports, the two- tant international charity network already working on the day event will present a series of talks, concerts and film scree- ground carrying out local projects, which comprises hundreds nings, including Pierre-Emmanuel Le Goff’s documentary of committed members, often volunteers, in approximately 16 Levers de Soleil (16 Sunrises) about French ESA astronaut 30 countries, who have assembled spontaneously around the Thomas Pesquet’s first mission aboard the ISS and Invisible emblematic figure of “Saint Ex” and his visionary thinking, Essence: The Little Prince about the legacy of the French no- which has the interests of mankind at heart, indicates its De- vella across generations by Canadian director Charles Officer. legate General, Nicolas Delsalle-Mun. He believed that people shared common ground and he addressed everyone, inclu- The Foundation counts personalities such as award-winning ding the young – the citizens of tomorrow. His values are American filmmaker Mark Osborne (Kung Fu Panda and The revealed in his writings and actions, providing guidelines for Little Prince animation movies), Pulitzer Prize-winning Ame- adolescents on their journey to becoming socially-responsible rican author Stacy Schiff, Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard adults. “When you give yourself, you receive more than you give,” and pilot André Borschberg of Solar Impulse, astronaut Clau- he wrote. The Foundation’s efforts may be seen through its die Haigneré, the first French woman to go to space and former support of Martin Hirsch’s Institut de l’Engagement, Eric Mes- minister of France, and Dorine Bourneton, the world’s first trallet’s Fondation Espérance Banlieues and the SIPAR for the extension of a mobile library network in Cambodia.

Olivier d’Agay, Secretary General of the Foundation, and great-nephew of Antoine de Saint Exupéry, states, “Ten years is a good time to make a first assessment of our activities, which has been positive for our family. More than €3 million have been distri- buted to some 50 projects related to education and to helping disad- vantaged youth. We follow about 20 projects in the long term, which allows us to measure the quality of the results. The next step will allow us to expand the international influence of the Foundation, in the USA and China in particular. When we created the Foundation, our dual objective was to carry out philanthropic initiatives in favor of young citizens and to spread the humanistic thinking of our uncle. I think we can say that this first decade has served this ambition well.”

33 female handicapped acrobatic pilot, among its ambassadors worldwide. As its development depends on sponsorships and collaborations with companies sharing the same values, it has partnered with aviation and aerospace heavyweights Airbus Group, Air France, Dassault and Safran, cultural and scientific created. It has conducted art workshops at educational establi- institutions like Alliance Française, Institut Français and Cité shments such as the New York Institute for Special Education de l’Espace, and international luxury brands Montblanc and in the Bronx and the Ebenezer School & Home for the Visually Sofitel. Impaired in Hong Kong.

It is hardly surprising then that the Foundation teamed up “It is vital for the Foundation to have these partners for three rea- with Swiss watchmaker IWC Schaffhausen, known for its si- sons: funding, international reach, local intermediaries,” comments gnature pilot’s watches. Every year, IWC has paid homage to Olivier d’Agay. “The patronage of these major brands provides fi- Saint Exupéry’s life’s work as an aviator and writer by crea- nancial support to the Foundation. Their global communication with ting different limited-edition and single-piece pilot’s watches. considerable resources gives unexpected visibility to the Foundation. At least one unique example is auctioned off annually, whose Finally, their location in all world regions allows us to benefit from entire proceeds go to finance a charity project jointly chosen their local support. We are looking for other partners of this level, but by IWC and the Foundation. At the Oscars ceremony last the process is very long. We have to create trust and tame ourselves, as February, world-renowned American actor and director and the fox of The Little Prince would say!” IWC brand ambassador, Bradley Cooper, sang on stage with Lady Gaga while wearing a gold IWC Big Pilot’s Watch en- In 2017, the Foundation initiated the world’s first internatio- graved on the caseback with an iconic quote from The Little nal francophone writing contest launched from outer space by Prince: “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly.” The time- Thomas Pesquet in collaboration with the Labo des Histoires. piece was subsequently auctioned by Sotheby’s and IWC do- This year, French yacht racers, Thomas Coville and Fran- nated the full amount to the Foundation, which used the funds çois Gabart, who have both won records for sailing around to support Nice-based association Arrimage founded by Dr. the world single-handedly on trimarans, are inviting youth to Claude Garrandès, a blind French artist, teacher and publisher. participate in the 2019 edition by writing a text in the form One of Arrimage’s main projects focuses on teaching visual- of a logbook with a theme based on the protection of the seas ly-impaired children how to read drawings in two-dimensio- and oceans. Starting next year to commemorate the 120th an- nal relief through the sense of touch, using the first-ever tactile niversary of Saint Exupéry’s birth, the Foundation will begin art book of embossed illustrations of The Little Prince that it an international touring exhibition under the high patronage of French President Emmanuel Macron and in cooperation with the French Air Force featuring never-before-seen ma- nuscripts and artifacts from Saint Exupéry and sculptures of the Little Prince by French artist, Arnaud Nazare-Aga. It will culminate at the Air and Space Museum at Le Bourget Airport in 2024 to coincide with the Paris Olympics – thereby ensuring that the name of Antoine de Saint Exupéry continues to live on among future generations and to inspire them through his pioneering spirit and visionary thinking on sustainability. As he wrote: “It’s a question of discipline,” the Little Prince told me la- ter on. “When you’ve finished washing and dressing each morning, you must tend your planet.”

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