The acquisition of Governors Island, on Jan 31, 2003, by New York State and New York City created an
extraordinary once-only world opportunity.

The Opportunity: revitalizing New York’s Harbors as a global hub that welcomes the world
The World Development Endowment Foundation (WDEF, a philanthropic organization) enters this challenging era with the benefit of years of research and thoughtful application to the goal of retrofitting New York’s harbor for the 21st century. We have addressed this project with the commitment to create a new public servant with world solutions and how to elevate its relevance to serve the needs of the state and city, the nation and the world.

Integral to WDEF’s master plan are imaginative, inter-related developments in Red Hook, Brooklyn and the Lower Manhattan development initiatives. Pivotal to our plan is the coordinated access and redevelopment of the Battery Maritime Building, the adjacent Coast Guard Building and encompassing further development in Bayonne, New Jersey.

Seizing the Opportunity: “New York The State of The World”
There has never been a more critical, meaningful opportunity to realize a far-reaching practical plan that demonstrates New York City’s stature as a preeminent world center.

The World Development Endowment Foundation will build upon New York’s international appeal by transforming New York’s harbor, with its 172 acres of Governors Island and adjacent mainland real estate, into an international city within an international city. New York has over 180 nationalities living in harmony; it is truly a city of world citizens. This endeavor will further invigorate the hopes and inspirations for present and future generations.

In light of New York being a mosaic of the world, our project has special emphasis on its international appeal reflecting all that the world has to offer. Recognizing the world’s resources are here we aptly refer to all of New York and the Harbor as World Island.

World Island: A world resource center to manage our human and natural resources
The plan outlines the functionality of a unique multidimensional cultural, and educational destination; thereby creating an asset with global reach that will dramatically advance New York’s status as a world cultural unifier. World Island will establish the World Cultural Exchange (WCE), extending public access to a purposeful agenda organized to facilitate world understanding and cooperation.

The establishment of the World Cultural Exchange, a multi-faceted resource center, that will contribute, in an unprecedented way, to the forging of harmonious relationships in an open forum that will welcome and widen dialogue among peoples of the world.

Welcome to World Island: Where the World Comes to Experience the World
All countries are invited to participate in this new gathering place, designed to promote world cooperation through the mutual sharing of ideas and ideals. With this commitment, World Island will become a oneof- a-kind environment with a one-of-a-kind opportunity to explore all the world has to offer in a cooperative, entertaining, educational and culturally enriching atmosphere, where visitors will benefit from playing their part in the global community.

World Island in establishing The World Cultural Exchange will encompass:
• Permanent World Trade and Tourism Fair
• World Commerce Center
• World Conference Center
• Humanitarian Education and Youth Leadership Center
• Earth Systems Science Center
• World Wellness and Life Science Center
• World Philanthropic Center

Focus on Communication: Distance Learning Will Bring Us Closer Together
In serving many world community objectives, the primary purpose of the World Island project is the ageless learning and leadership development of world citizens. Our interactive distance learning system enables everyone of every age, everywhere at any time, especially young people, to experience learning and leadership development.

We are in a period of rapid evolution where new career disciplines are essential and where harnessing employment opportunities for managing and governing tomorrow's world are before us. World Island will provide the “home” of a virtual learning center, to implement a positive guidance methodology to capitalize on new ways for us to interact. Over time it will create a world alumni of future leaders who understand and embrace the practicality of being trustworthy as a core principal in their daily endeavors as private citizens and community leaders

One World Center, NY 10000: A True World Trade and Tourism Center
By creating a profound destination World Island, a new address in world affairs will attract a formidable assemblage of anchor tenants, including foreign nations, high-level international and national corporations, and varied commercial and social interests qualified to achieve financial viability needed for immediate and long-term success.

Immediate and Long-term Financing through the synergy of global tenants/activities
Substantial revenues will be generated through extensive public facilities and cultural projects and programs, the international high-level office tower/conference and convention center, designer hotel accommodations, specialty restaurants, and diverse commercial enterprises. Revenues derived from the many project activities will support not-for-profit cultural and academic activities on and off the island.

World-Class Leadership Team: A Global Cooperative
We are currently assembling a world-class Board of Trustees, Advisory Board and development team comprising urban planners, real estate developers, architects, engineers, major business and corporate interests, associations, philanthropic alliances, and not-for-profit specialists, academic institutions and educators, consultants in all related fields. All participants are distinguished in their respective disciplines.

Beyond Governors Island: A Major Contributor to New York City’s Economy
World Island is inclusive and expansive in that it reaches beyond the borders of Governors Island, with urban planning innovations that will dramatically impact the revitalization of lower Manhattan, further strengthening the boroughs economically and thus contributing to a stronger, more robust New York economy, as documented on a completed economic impact study for both the construction time-line and as a long term employer. For the construction phases this will generate over $700 million and once fully operational will conservatively generate over $400 million annually in employment tax revenue.

The Human Experience: Recycle Our Most Precious Resources Wisdom and Knowledge
World Island, as the newest New York destination will attract over 12,000,000 tourists to the City and will be served by over 50,000 employees from the boroughs of the City. This urban plan will be one of the largest private sector employers in New York State’s history and will be a model for human rights in human resource development. A mentoring program will be implemented entitled “Wisdom Keepers/Wisdom Seekers” partnering senior citizens with our youth as a generational connection. This initiative will be a stimulus for major social and economic impact benefiting all New Yorkers.

Addressing Key Challenges: Obstacles Are Challenges Creating Opportunity
The World Island project has evolved over the last ten years, with in-depth need assessment, construction solutions, and awareness of vested interests that make the project a fundable urban planning strategy. It is critical to emphasize that any proposal for developing Governors Island faces many obstacles among the five major challenges:

• Severely limited access
• Adverse weather conditions
• A high up-front cost of over $1 billion for infrastructure, retrofitting historical structures to meet
   current mandatory standards, and demolition of non-historic structures
• Must meet the deed mandates of the acquisition from the Federal Government
• Must have the complete comprehensive cooperation and support from New York State and New
   York City and all of its’ agencies

We are meeting these challenges with design innovation and excellence, producing an unparalleled urban
master plan that interlaces the past, present and future. The World Island “journey” is an event-driven
destination that functions around the clock, much like the rest of New York. This endeavor has been
organized to overcome these challenges resulting in a new vibrant, viable and, therefore, valuable asset
worthy of New York and the world.

Unifying Principles of a Model Community
The basic objectives of our development principles are to emphasis and to encompass the Four Pillars of a model community

• Commerce
• Culture
• Education
• Spirituality

These Four Pillars reflect the importance of our understanding of how our cities are communities woven together that house and embrace our commonality and our individuality. Most responses to the RFP will fall under one of these four pillars; we are receptive to complementary ideas that will make this project all that it should be.

Liberty Island, Ellis Island and now World Island
Any development that does not complement the geographical and cultural closeness of Liberty Island and Ellis Island does Governors Island a cultural injustice. Our project forms a powerful symbolic, historic and cultural triad in the New York harbor, which further promotes and welcomes the world to New York.

New York as a Leader in Global Development
The World Island project is a political decision everyone should be able to agree on. More than the real estate development of Governors Island, World Island is about people development, and about the global leadership role New York will continue to play in the world.

This is a rare moment in time when a single decision can have such a profound, positive impact on the world’s destiny in ways we cannot even begin to contemplate. The magnitude of this project will demonstrate to the world the foresight, vision, will and wisdom of world-class political leadership and stewardship.

World Island Can Ennoble the World: The Opportunity Is Now

An Unrivaled Asset

World Island will offer New York and the world an unrivaled asset. A must-see-must-return-to destination, this unparalleled, internationally prestigious attraction will engage the world community with an exceptional, one-of-a-kind, opportunity to experience discovery in a spectacular inviting atmosphere.

World Island Benefits to New York:
• Require minimum state and city resources, responsibility or risk
• Enhance the worldwide stature of New York with a comprehensive high-profile global communications strategy    and public relations, marketing and advertising campaign to support the entire spectrum of participants and    activities, with no direct cost to New York
• World Island will be staffed with over 50,000 employees from all of New York City's boroughs, becoming one of the    largest private sector employers in New York State’s history, and a model for diversity in human resource    development
• Establish a solid economic base with long-term international government and anchor tenants, creating a world    destination attracting over 12 million visitors annually
• Boost tourism in a way that further positions New York City as the world’s cultural center, acting in consort as a    world ambassador for the city’s tourism and convention industry
• Provide New York with an urban development plan that features a user-friendly, totally integrated, coordinated    transportation system uniting New York City's boroughs with cities along the East Coast with World Island
• Complement and complete a cultural triad with Liberty Island, Ellis Island and now World Island as a revitalized    international intersection in the New York harbor
• Showcase an exposition for new technologies and ecological awareness. By utilizing the ultimate in innovative    solutions we will create an environment that is weather proof and always open by creatively enclosing areas of    the non-historic portion of the Island
• Establish a new international academic institution that taps into the vast resources of the world’s educational    community with a global distance learning communication center that is available to everyone, of every age,    everywhere, at anytime
• Serve as a motivational role model for our youth, providing an environment to demonstrate the value of acquiring    knowledge, wisdom, education, experience and the significant benefits necessary to establish trustworthy    relationships
• Provide a positive outlet for the creative energy of our youth by engaging them in public service projects, including    restoration and maintenance programs for the ongoing beautification of Governors Island in addition to all of New    York and expanding to communities around the world.
   This solution-driven environment furthers the nurturing of our youth towards becoming responsible stewards and    world citizens
• Enhance New York’s reputation on a worldwide scale as the world’s philanthropic center
• Establish co-operative affiliations with the United Nations, government agencies and non-profit organizations to    provide a global platform for all world organizations
• Build a non-profit focal point with a planetary humanitarian mission that sets the standards for unifying our    common interests.