#TIMEWELLSHARED WITH LAUREUS WORLD SPORTS ACADEMY CHAIRMAN AND RUGBY LEGEND SEAN FITZPATRICK
Schaffhausen, 11th June - To lift spirits during this challenging period, IWC family members have come together online through the brand’s “TIME WELL SHARED” initiative. Sharing their passion and knowledge with viewers at home, they hope to inspire and entertain through messages of positivity and solidarity.
The latest video to be released features former All Blacks player Sean Fitzpatrick, who is now Chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy. IWC, which has been a Global Partner of Laureus since 2005, works alongside Fitzpatrick and the Academy in their global mission to utilise the power of sport to improve the lives of young people.
Rather than placing the focus of his video on his legendary rugby union career, Fitzpatrick instead discusses Laureus Sport for Good and its success over the last two decades. Reminiscing about a life-changing trip he made to Sierra Leone’s Right to Play project 15 years ago, he recalls teaching the children he met the basics of rugby and the New Zealand Haka.
Laureus Sport for Good uses the power of sport to end violence, discrimination and disadvantage for children and young people all around the world. During the global Covid-19 pandemic, the needs of the disadvantaged and often vulnerable young people in the more than 200 programmes Laureus supports around the world and the wider Sport for Development sector have never been greater.
Through the Sport for Good Response Fund, organisations will be empowered to deliver new or adaptive provisions to continue supporting children and young people during the current pandemic. Donations to the Sport for Good Response Fund can be made here: https://www.laureus.com/sport-for-good/get-involved?tab=DONATE
The video is available on IWC Instagram TV: https://watches.iwc.com/Sean_Fitzpatrick
SEAN FITZPATRICK
Fitzpatrick made his debut for the All Blacks in 1986 and is widely considered to be one of rugby’s most inspirational captains. In total, he played in 121 international matches, including 92 Test matches, 74 of which were wins. Highlights of his career include guiding the All Blacks to a series win over the touring British Lions in 1993 and leading them to a clean sweep in the first Tri-Nations tournament in 1996. The crowning moment, however, came in 1996 when he captained New Zealand to a memorable Test series triumph over South Africa, before retiring just a year later. Awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit by the Governor-General in 1997, he is now a respected rugby analyst for TV and newspapers. He became Chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy in May 2016.
TIME WELL SHARED
As the world faces a health crisis, the global IWC family stands together for the launch of “TIME WELL SHARED”. Through this initiative, IWC employees, brand ambassadors and partners will share their time, knowledge, experience and passion through digital channels. They aim to inspire people to make the most of their time, and entertain and support them by keeping them connected and engaged. Another crucial pillar of “TIME WELL SHARED” is a personal volunteering programme via the website Good Tutors Finder, to support schoolchildren and their parents.
In their own free time, and on an individual voluntary basis, IWC employees are encouraged to offer online tutoring support for schoolchildren in basic subjects http://goodtutorsfinder.ch/iwc-time-well-shared.
Please find more information about the TIME WELL SHARED initiative on https://press.iwc.com/global-iwc-family-unites-for-time-well-shared/
LAUREUS SPORT FOR GOOD
In 2019, approximately 300,000 young people around the world benefitted from more than 200 projects supported by Laureus Sport for Good in 40 countries; programmes that use sport to promote social change and put an end to violence, discrimination and disadvantage. Every programme Laureus supports addresses at least one of the following six social issues, which align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals: Health, Education, Women and Girls, Employability, Inclusive Society and Peaceful Society.
In 1868, the American watchmaker and entrepreneur Florentine Ariosto Jones travelled from Boston to Switzerland and founded the ‘International Watch Company’ in Schaffhausen. His visionary dream was to combine advanced American manufacturing methods with the craftsmanship of Swiss watchmakers to make the best pocket watches of his time. In doing so, he not only laid the foundation for IWC’s unique engineering approach but also established the centralised production of mechanical watches in Switzerland.
Over its 150 year history, IWC Schaffhausen has developed a reputation for creating functional complications, especially chronographs and calendars, which are ingenious, robust, and easy for customers to use. A pioneer in the use of titanium and ceramics, IWC today specialises in highly engineered technical watch cases manufactured from advanced materials, such as titaniumaluminide and Ceratanium®. Preferring the principle of “form follows function” over decoration, the Swiss watch manufacturer’s timeless creations embody their owners’ dreams and ambitions as they journey through life.
IWC sources materials responsibly and takes action to minimise its impact on the environment, creating intrinsically sustainable timepieces that are built to last for generations. The company prides itself in training its own future watchmakers and engineers, as well as offering an excellent working environment for all employees. IWC also partners with organisations that work globally to support children and young people.