We are always pleased to receive news about charity initiatives promoted by watch manufacturers. This is the turn of Breitling which managed to raise around one hundred thousand euros ($140,000) with its big balloon ride around the world in 2009. The funds go towards fighting noma, a disease that disfigures and kills tens of thousands of children around the world every year. Apart from the many stopovers in Europe, this flight, which paid tribute to the tenth anniversary of the first non-stop round-the-world balloon flight (the famous Breitling Orbiter 3 piloted by Brian Jones), touched down in Israel, Japan, Australia and the United States, with detours to Curaçao, in the Netherlands Antilles, where no balloon had ventured before. The Winds of Hope Foundation, created by Breitling and the two pilots Brian Jones and Bertrand Piccard, promotes programmes for prevention and early diagnosis in the countries most affected by the disease. This world tour is set to continue later this year with events in Ireland, Switzerland and North America.
