Raphaël Domjan, partner of DeWitt: big-hearted adventurer
Raphaël Domjan, partner of DeWitt: big-hearted adventurer
Raphaël Domjan is a multifaceted man. Both an engaged adventurer and an excellent speaker, the Swiss citizen, born in Neuchâtel, was reading Jules Verne’s adventures when he was a child. He has since chosen to make an adventure out of his own life.
Raphaël started his professional life by repairing motorcycles, and rapidly moved on to become a medical assistant, involved in rescue operations, before developing skills as a spelunker, an alpinist, a rescuer in extreme situations… Many experiences that enabled him to acquire solid risk management skills. A vital element to any committed adventurer!
Jérôme De Witt likes to say that Raphaël is a modern Emperor! « He is a fighter », he explains. « Not a man who fights for power, but for his ideas and ideals. He wants to contribute to the development of a better, harmonious world. »
Indeed, Raphaël, now aged 45, decided that the adventure in itself was not enough, and that the essentiel part was the message that he was to convey. In May 2010, he started a round the world trip on a boat equipped with more than 38 000 photovoltaic cells. He sailed more than 60 000 kilometers in 585 days, and accomplished the first round the world trip powered by solar energy.
"The world won't be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything. » - Albert Einstein
Now officially a partner of DeWitt, Raphaël is proud to carry the colors of a « prestigious and non-common brand. Like my adventures! DeWitt produces wonderful mechanic watches, who don’t need a battery and work with clean energy », he says proudly.
De Witt supports Raphael and his foundation « SolarPlanet », and also follows Raphaël’s next project of crossing the northern passage, between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, onboard a kayak powered - alongside Raphaels’ arms - by solar energy. With a strong message to convey: this parts of the world is fragile and needs to be protected!
Accompanied by french sailor Anne Quéméré, Raphaël will paddle in likely very difficult conditions, and ambitions to use the opportunity to alert the general public about climate change. Indeed, due to the melting of the ice caps, this mythical passage is, since recently, and not necessarily every year, accessible to international maritime traffic, which will further deteriorate it. The project « Arctic Passage » will start on July 15, 2015.