Photo exhibition: Antoine de Saint-Exupéry – Passions & Inspirations

Delve into the world of historical photographs recounting the great adventures of the aviation pioneers of Latécoère, the first French airmail company founded in 1918 by Pierre-Georges Latécoère, which would later be known as Aéropostale.

Held in partnership with the Antoine de Saint Exupéry Youth Foundation and the Latécoère Foundation, this photo exhibition features legendary pilots such as Saint-Exupéry (author of The Little Prince), Mermoz and Guillaumet, who were brought together by Latécoère in the 1920s.

 About legendary pilot and writer Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (29 June 1900 – 31 July 1944)
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry was a French aristocrat, writer, poet, pilot and French Resistance figure, who was also an airmail pioneer. He is best remembered for his novella The Little Prince (Le Petit Prince) first published in New York in 1943, which is the most translated work of literature in the world (in over 270 foreign languages and dialects), and for his lyrical aviation writings, including Wind, Sand and Stars (Terre des Hommes) and Night Flight (Vol de Nuit). Saint-Exupéry was a successful commercial pilot in the early ’20s, working airmail routes in Europe, Africa and South America. He disappeared over the Mediterranean during his last assigned reconnaissance mission aboard a Lockheed P-38 Lightning, the most advanced WWII American fighter aircraft, in July 1944, but the circumstances of his disappearance remain a mystery. After the war, the French government named him a national hero. He is also commemorated by an inscription in the Pantheon in Paris, France’s repository of historical greats.

About the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Youth Foundation
True to the spirit of the French author and aviator who defended a society based on respect for humankind, cultural diversity, cooperation, commitment and individual responsibility, the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Youth Foundation was established in 2008 to honour and perpetuate Saint-Exupéry’s legacy by supporting projects for underprivileged children around the world in the field of education and the fight against illiteracy. The Paris-based humanitarian organisation thus contributes to improving the everyday lives of disadvantaged youth and helping them attain better futures by financing long-term educational and cultural programmes with local non-profit organisations. In Thailand, the foundation supports the Hospitality & Catering Training Centre (HCTC) in Mae Sot.

“The Little Prince”: a book for eternity

For generations, this delightful modern poetic tale about friendship and humanity has secured a place in the hearts of million readers from all cultures. In 2013, the book celebrated its 70th anniversary, remaining as timeless and universal as when it first published on 6 April 1943 in the USA. The slim volume with the author’s own illustrations appeared in the original French in an English translation at the same time. In 2014, the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Youth Foundation launched the very first special of drawings from The Little Prince adapted to tactile reading for visually challenged people accompanied by descriptions in Braille in both French and English. This unique book is presented for the first time in Thailand at the Alliance Française de Bangkok.