Guy Laliberté blasts off for One Drop in space
p2pnet news view P2P | Cool:- Canadian Guy Laliberté, who started out as an accordion player but went on to found the world-famuous Cirque du Soleil, ranks 261 in the Forbes list of the World’s Billionaires for 2009.
Which is why he can afford to pay the Russians $35 million for a journey into space.
Early this morning, he blasted of from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a rocket-powered trip to the international space station.
“I’m not a scientist,” Russia Today had him saying recently.
“I’m not a professional cosmonaut and astronaut. What I’m bringing up there is what I am. And what I am is an artist, I’m creative and I think I’m a person with a pretty high spirit.
“So I’m going to crack jokes on these guys while they’re sleeping, tickling them.”
A Russian Soyuz rocket is currently on its way en route to the station where Laliberté will live for nine days.
However, although he’s lucky enough, and rich enough, to be able to embark on this kind of adventure, there’s a more serious side to it.
Laliberté is also a philanthropist who in 2007 created the One Drop foundation to ensure everyone has access to water.
On the foundation web site, “When I founded ONE DROP, it was (or rather, it still is) desperately urgent to do something to protect water,” he blogged on Monday, going on »»»
Our objectives target action on the ground, educational projects (such as AQUA, which several cities have expressed an interest in) and raising awareness.
I could have done all that in traditional philanthropic ways or even step by step as we did with Cirque du Soleil, but we don’t have 25 years to save the cause of water! And besides, I wanted a different sort of foundation, something that sets us apart and incorporates art. ONE DROP is already acting in practical terms, but in the project of going into space, I saw an innovative opportunity, reflecting the image of Cirque du Soleil and my own image, too. Of course there is an element of risk, but that’s in my natureâand taking risks is an integral part of my company’s culture as well.
Right from the start, I knew that such a project wouldn’t get unanimous support, but I was willing to take the chance. And anyhow, I wanted to go into space! The stars seemed to be perfectly aligned so that I could take my gang at Cirque and ONE DROP along with me. What’s more, the international coverage we are getting at the moment seems to support the fact that it’s the right thing to do; I wouldn’t have been able to reach so many people so quickly by doing things the traditional way.
Beyond the audacity of the project, I know that this mission is upsetting some of you from an ecological point of view. I am already committed to respecting the environment in my everyday life, so of course I was worried about offsetting my carbon footprint for my flight into space.
Celebrating the 25th anniversary of Cirque du Soleil in the same year was just perfect timing! I make no bones about it: of course this project gives the company high visibility as an events organizer. This free, worldwide event is in step with the humanitarian journey already embarked on by Cirque du Soleil.
In fact, 1% of the company’s income goes towards helping young people: Cirque du Monde, our status as donor to La TOHU and our assistance in the St-Michel neighbourhoodânot to mention our support for young artists. As far as I’m concerned, this $35 M is another investment, one that has led to interesting partnership requests for ONE DROP.
Will the end result be what we hoped for? In the short term, there are encouraging signs. In the medium and long term, we’ll have to wait and see! However, I believe that the spin-off effects will make things easier for other projects out there that support the cause of water.
Of course, it is thanks to my own financial situation that I have been able to experience such an adventure. And yes, I am also making a personal dream come true through this mission. I’m having an enriching experience with a fascinating community. And from your feedback, I am so happy to see that the drops are gathering together to create a magnificent wave!
“I don’t know how I’m going to be able to continue my blog up there,” he says, “but I’ll do my best.”
He’s planning a broadcast from the space station October 9 for the One Drop foundation.
Russia Today – Canadian clown ready to invade space station, September 17, 2009
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September 30th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
What a waste of money. $35 million would serve better anywhere else.