Rocky Shi Appointed Global Chairman of the World Low-Altitude Economy and Arts Development Committee at UNESCO Paris
On July 16, the World Low-Altitude Economy and Arts Development Committee was formally established at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, during the 30th anniversary celebration of the Olympic Art Charter. Crostars founder and Chairman Shi Zheyuan — known internationally as Rocky Shi — was appointed its inaugural Global Chairman. Pansy Ho (Ho Chiu-king), co-chairwoman of MGM China and one of Hong Kong’s most prominent business figures, was appointed Honorary Chairperson.
The designation was conferred by Marc Viéel, founding chairman of the World OLYMP’ARTS Council (WOAC). The ceremony was attended by 230 delegates from more than 70 countries.
What the Committee Is
The World Low-Altitude Economy and Arts Development Committee sits under the World OLYMP’ARTS Council. WOAC was established under UNESCO in 1995. WOAC currently has 70 member countries and a network of over 20,000 artists worldwide.
The new committee’s mandate is to build a global platform that connects low-altitude technology — drones, in particular — with artistic practice. In practical terms, that means supporting young artists who want to work with drone formations and immersive experiences. It also means creating structures that link the low-altitude economy with the cultural and creative sectors.
It also means preparing for what comes next: the committee will coordinate work on both an International Drone Art Competition and the OLYMP’ARTS 2027 Games.
Rocky Shi’s Speech at UNESCO
Speaking from the UNESCO podium, Rocky Shi framed the appointment in terms that connected the technical work Crostars does with something larger:
“Art is the thread that connects the world — it lets humanity see shared beauty through difference. A brand is the spark that illuminates the world — it gives that beauty a more enduring life and a broader stage. In the future, let us continue to use low altitude as our canvas and technology as our brush, so that the dialogue of art never falls silent, and so the light of culture reaches more corners of civilizational exchange — because this is what the Olympic Art Charter has always meant by ‘beauty and unity,’ and our most vivid interpretation of a shared human future.”
The OLYMP’ARTS Declaration
The event also included a collective signing of the OLYMP’ARTS Declaration — a formal commitment signed by Rocky Shi, Pansy Ho, and representatives from over 70 countries. Artists, government officials, designers, and scientists stood together at the same table.
The declaration isn’t just ceremonial. It carries a specific commitment. Both sides will move forward together on the 2027 OLYMP’ARTS Games and the International Drone Art Competition — events that will need to be organized, hosted, and delivered.
The Drone Performance
The evening’s high point was the 2,000-drone performance Crostars produced for the occasion. Most people in the room — and the crowd gathered along the Seine — would agree. Drones assembled into the OLYMP’ARTS chalice symbol and “OLYMP’ARTS 2027″ above the river. The designation ceremony and the show were designed to work as a single evening — the formal recognition inside, then the sky outside.
About WOAC
The World OLYMP’ARTS Council was established in Geneva, Switzerland. Its founding ceremony took place at UNESCO Paris on July 10–11, 1995. It had the support of the United Nations, UNESCO, and the IOC Centennial Congress. Marc Viéel and 68 representatives from 65 countries and regions signed the founding charter. Today the organization operates across 70 member countries.
To learn more about Crostars and its global work, or to discuss a drone performance or partnership, contact us here.