Jury selects winners of the KLM "Bridging The World" Contest.

AMSTELVEEN, the Netherlands--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 2, 1995--The International "Bridging the World" Contest, one of the elements of KLM's 75th anniversary celebrations, produce a flood of more than 12,000 entries from all around the world. An international jury, chaired by the former Dutch Prime Minister, Ruud Lubbers, awarded first prizes to 12 of the entries, which arrived from 120 countries in 25 different languages.

KLM's 75th anniversary theme, "Bridging the World", underscores the vision of its founder Albert Plesman, that, "The air ocean unites all peoples." Under this theme, KLM wants to help fulfill long-cherished dreams and ideals through air travel. People all over the world were invited to interpret this theme as creatively as possible and to work out the details as a structured project. The thousands of ideas and wishes KLM received between early October and mid-November last year displayed exceptional creativity, empathy and originality in their translation of the theme into a practical project.

Once the jury had completed a meticulous selection and discussion of the entries, it decided to award first prizes to 12 entries instead of the ten originally planned. KLM will provide the prize winners with more than just transport. The company will also pay for all other expenses incurred by the prize winners to make their cherished dreams come true. KLM has made a total of 2,000 air tickets available for the contest. In addition to the 12 first prizes, 81 contestants have been awarded second prizes. These prize winners will receive a roundtrip ticket to the destination of their project.

The 12 prize-winning projects feature a great diversity of ideas. The route networks of KLM and its U.S. partner Northwest Airlines, which span the world, will bridge the gaps between cultures across the globe.

A disabled American woman dreamt of traveling to Ghana with a team of 25 specialists and therapists, which has worked with the Ghanaian Association for the Physically Disabled on earlier occasions. The team and KLM will jointly present the Association with 200 wheelchairs.

Thanks to the idea of a woman from the Netherlands, 10 young shoe-shine boys from the fairy-tale city of Istanbul, Turkey, will be given a week's vacation at the wonderful theme park, "De Efteling," in the Netherlands.

A Dutch cook working in Moscow will lead a cookery course in the Netherlands for a group of Russian volunteers who prepare meals for elderly people in Moscow. While they are away on the course, KLM will cater the meals for the elderly Moscovites.

An American woman, working as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco, will fly with the staff of a Moroccan organization for the blind to Los Angeles, where they will be instructed in modern American teaching methods for the blind.

With the assistance of an Israeli company, an American family living in Thailand will travel to a school in Malawi to plant citrus orchards, which will in the future provide the school with an extra source of income.

An American woman's dream is to bring 25 Annes, each from a different country, together in memory of Anne Frank. The girls will create this bridge between cultures next summer in Amsterdam.

A man from the United States has volunteered to lead a project for the construction of a clinic in the suburbs of Conakry, Guinea. He plans to complete the project in only a week with the help of 24 professional workers from the United States and Europe.

Through the years, a Dutch filmmaker has been following the lives of six families residing in various place around the world, With KLM's helps, these families will meet for the first time in Cape Province, South Africa.

Former street children with exceptional soccer talent will travel from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to the Netherlands for a week to train and play against the PSV Eindhoven soccer team.

At the initiative of a man from Japan, a conference on children's literature will be held in Copenhagen, the city closely associated with Danish children's writer Hans Christiaan Andersen. Children from many countries will each bring their favorite book and show and discuss them at the conference.

An Australian conductor will give classes jointly with other music teachers to musicians in Kiev, Ukraine.

Artists from Mutare, Zimbabwe, will decorate a bridge in the centre of Haarlem, the Netherlands as a symbol of projected future cultural ties between two the cities.

In the coming months KLM will help make all these dreams come true.

CONTACT: KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

Odette Fodor, 914/784-2480