UNICEF
Supporting humanitarian assistance to children and mothers across the rally's route through Africa.
The United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is a United Nations program headquartered in New York City, providing long-term humanitarian and developmental assistance to children and mothers in developing countries. It is a member of the United Nations Development Group and its Executive Committee.
VintageAirRally served as an official ambassador and fundraiser for UNICEF, with fundraising efforts directed toward supporting UNICEF teams working across the African countries along the Crete to Cape Town route.
The rally's crews, partners, and supporters contributed to this fundraising effort alongside the aircraft's journey from Crete to Cape Town, linking the adventure of vintage aviation with practical support for children and mothers in the regions crossed.
Humanitarian partnerships are a meaningful part of the rally's journey across Africa, where crews fly vintage aircraft over landscapes that connect communities and countries. One of the partner organizations works on a global scale to support children and families in regions that the route passes through, helping to improve access to essentials like healthcare, nutrition, and education. By aligning aviation adventure with humanitarian goals, the event highlights how passion for flight can translate into tangible assistance for vulnerable populations in remote and developing areas. Charitable involvement also extends to conservation and environmental causes, reflecting the rally's passage through iconic ecosystems and national parks. Supporting organizations focused on wildlife protection and habitat preservation, the event draws attention to the fragile balance of African landscapes and the need for continued stewardship. Together, these partnerships aim to leave a positive legacy that reaches well beyond the brief weeks of the journey, linking travelers, sponsors, and local communities in shared purpose.
Long-distance flying has always carried a sense of generosity, and the Vintage Air Rally from Crete to Cape Town turned that spirit into fundraising for causes along the route. Crews and supporters were encouraged to look beyond the aircraft themselves, toward the people the journey passed through. Organisers acted as ambassadors and fundraisers, using the rally's visibility to draw attention to humanitarian and environmental work across Africa. The approach reflects an older aviation tradition, in which pioneering flights were measured not only by distance covered but by the goodwill they created on the ground.
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Follow the rally's charitable work, including the companion conservation effort with BirdLife International, which focused on saving African vultures under the slogan "Birds for Birds."
About the Rally
The Crete2Cape VintageAirRally departed Crete, Greece, on 12th November 2016, bound for Cape Town, South Africa, arriving five weeks later. It was organized by Prepare2go and was an official event of The Royal Aero Club of the United Kingdom and the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale. Fifteen vintage aeroplanes built before 31st December 1939 took part, supported by fifteen additional aeroplanes and helicopters.