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Wednesday Oct 02, 2024
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“The IFRC is Land Rover’s global humanitarian partner and the project is in addition to the three-year global initiative ‘Reaching vulnerable people around the world’.” Fernando went on to say that this initiative, launched in 2010, provides additional support for IFRC programs in over 15 countries worldwide.
The 50-day ‘Journey of Discovery‘ from Birmingham to Beijing, was one of the most epic and ambitious modern-day overland journeys and celebrated the production of the one millionth Land Rover Discovery; the world’s most capable and versatile SUV.
In Sri Lanka, Land Rovers were the mode of transport during the devastating Tsunami, “In fact a convoy of Land Rovers were on the roads with food and medical supplies as well as doctors and aid workers within 48 hours of the Tsunami and due to their sheer ruggedness the Land Rover was the only vehicle capable of traversing the roads in those circumstances,” Fernando revealed.
He added that during the last weeks of the civil war, it was once again the Land Rovers at the forefront; ferrying doctors, aid workers, supplies and even helping to locate lost family members that had been separated on the long trek to the camps.
Over the years the Land Rover brand has become synonymous with adventure, innovation and traversing the most impossible of terrains. Land 
Rover Global Brand Director John Edwards said: “Land Rover is delighted to have reached the target £1,000,000 in aid of the IFRC; an organisation we have had a relationship with since 1954. It’s an absolutely fantastic achievement and I’d like to express my gratitude to the extended ‘Land Rover family’ that got involved including dealers, suppliers and employees around the world.”
“In Sri Lanka we count ourselves fortunate, however there are still parts of the globe where clean water, such a basic human right and something we take for granted every day, is still the most common and preventable underlying cause of disease and death today. The funds raised will be supporting a water and sanitation project in Uganda, which we hope will help over 45,000 beneficiaries and make a substantial difference to the community,” said Fernando.
IFRC under-Secretary General, Humanitarian Values and Diplomacy Goli Ameri said: “We are grateful for Land Rover’s support which will enable us to reach many more vulnerable people in Uganda who are in need of clean water and sanitation. Uganda is one of the countries worst affected by a lack of safe water and although water supply is crucial, sanitation and hygiene are equally important. With Land Rover’s generous assistance, we will now be able to reach thousands of people in Uganda with these life-saving resources.”
As the expedition wound its way over 10,000 miles of varied terrain, via 13 countries and travelled through a mix of urban and off-road destinations, it revealed some fascinating stories.
From avalanches in the Aosta Valley (Geneva) to a police escort in Heroes Square (Budapest), to the ghost town of Pripyat in Chernobyl (Ukraine) and submarine shelters in the Black Sea (Balaklava). Throw in an exclusive tour of the Kremlin (Moscow), gliding in the Uzbekistan desert, meeting camels in Dunhuang’s Golbi desert, and after a stop at the Great Wall, on the home straight to Beijing Auto Show in China. Without a scratch, but caked in the dirt of adventure, this one-in-a-million journey was over.
The one millionth Land Rover Discovery vehicle was on display at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, where Land Rover celebrated the ‘Journey of Discovery’ with a stand that replicates a JLR manufacturing facility and an experience area that is themed around the expedition.
