Cooperation between UNESCO's World Heritage Centre and World Air League
1 August, 2007

At UNESCO’s Headquarters in Paris, Don Hartsell, Commissioner and Managing Director of the World Air League and Francesco Bandarin, Director of UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre reached agreement and signed a Letter of Intent to develop a strategic partnership on initiatives to educate people of all ages and raise funds for the World Heritage sites through the inaugural and historic World Sky Race. The World Air League is presently organizing the World Sky Race, the first competition of lighter-than-air skyships to circumnavigate the globe. The Letter of Intent outlines the development of a joint program to use the World Sky Race as a means to communicate the cultural and historical importance of the World Heritage sites along its global race route. In support of the World Heritage Convention, the World Sky Race will be focus on and highlight the diversity of peoples and places around the world and in so doing promote inter cultural dialogue and understanding.