Princely timepieces for a good cause

Princely timepieces for a good cause

IWC Schaffhausen auctions off a luxury model to benefit the remote Karen population in Mae Sot

SOCIAL & LIFESTYLE
Princely timepieces for a good cause
Standing from left, Simon Martin, director of HCTC, Olivier Poivre D'Arvor, ambassador of the French Culture, Nicolas Delsalle-Mun, secretary-general of the Antoine de Saint Exupery Youth Foundation and Matthieu Dupont, managing director of IWC South East Asia at the new media laboratory.

A tradition since 2013, IWC Schaffhausen auctions off a luxury Pilot watch to raise funds for the Antoine de Saint-Exupery Youth Foundation, which operates primarily to help underprivileged young people all over the world by encouraging and financing local initiatives aimed at providing education and training.

The third auction of a red gold Pilot's Watch Double Chronograph Edition "Le Petit Prince'' fetched 47,500 Swiss francs (170,000 baht), with the proceeds having gone to supporting the Hospitality & Catering Training Centre (HCTC) in Mae Sot, Tak province.

The gateway between Thailand and Myanmar, the north-western district is home to the minority Karen population, whose young people between the age of 17-23 are target students for the hospitality school set up in 2009 by French and local NGOs.

"The students are very gentle, very dedicated, and very grateful for the opportunity given to them,'' said HCTC's director, Simon Martin. "What we need to keep working on is building their confidence and making them feel comfortable in their abilities.''

The two-year programme covers theory classes including housekeeping, front office work, kitchen and services, with The Passport Hotel & Restaurant the training grounds for students to apply what they have learned.

"We have a hotel, we have a restaurant, and students can only learn when we have clients,'' Martin said. "Coming from villages, they are impressed with the new surroundings, from the school's facilities to foreigners coming to the hotel. The first thing that students need to learn is English and life skills such as communication. But of course, with technical skills, they have an edge.''

Funds from the Sotheby's auction have been used to build a new media laboratory equipped with computers, photo and video cameras, as well as books and manuals. The lab promotes a love for reading whereas multimedia devices modernise the vocational training and language teaching.

The HCTC now also has The Little Prince Educational Garden for growing fruits and vegetables to supply the restaurant's kitchen, and a sculpture of the legendary little boy with the golden hair created by French aviator/writer Antoine de Saint-Exupery.

The auctioned timepiece features a unique day display in the centre of the midnight blue dial, illuminated by a different gold star on each day of the week. The stars symbolise the seven planets visited by the Little Prince on his journey through the universe. The seven stars are also engraved on the back of the watch, along with names of the inhabitants the Little Prince encounters along the way.

In addition, the money raised from the Pilot's Watch Double Chronograph Edition, "Le Petit Prince'', will support schooling fees for 60 students and HCTC's renovation.

"Thanks to this generous contribution from IWC Schaffhausen and the Antoine de Saint-Exupery Youth Foundation, we are able to improve our educational programme and to better prepare our students for their entry into the world of work,'' said Martin.

Besides working at the Mae Sot three-star hotel, the students also go for internships elsewhere, which takes them to other provinces like Bangkok.

"This is why the curriculum includes a strong life skill programme, which is crucial to help them face the outside world,'' he said. "We accompany them, say to Bangkok, and stay with them two to three days and teach them how to get along and adapt to city life.''

Students completing the training may continue to have a career in hospitality or pursue other professions.

The HCTC project corresponds to the core values of the Antoine de Saint-Exupery Youth Foundation, as the school not only provides a high-quality practical education but it fosters the development of the students into responsible adults and citizens.

"We open their minds, we get them ready, and we give them their first experience -- all in all it's about developing people,'' concluded Martin.


For bookings and information about The Passport Hotel & Restaurant, call 055-535-642, 080-118-2651 or email hctcpr.sm@gmail.com.

HCTC students in a cooking class. IWC Schaffhausen

Pilot's Watch Double Chronograph Edition 'Le Petit Prince' unique piece. IWC

Pilot's Watch Double Chronograph Edition 'Le Petit Prince' unique piece. IWC

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