As surfers of the tech revolution, they are particularly familiar with its shortsightedness. This another scientific endevor that serves the scientist but not science. With a project like this, there is no telling what the applications might be. Long Now has had an invitation from a foundation in Jerusalem to build an early version of the Clock there. Among other things, it would show the time in the Muslim, Jewish, and Christian calendars simultaneously, and thus be a sort of monument of ecumenicism.
Refugees happen when ecumenicism fails, as when multi-ethnic Bosnia was fractured.
I agree there's no telling what the applications might be. I'm wondering what future generations will think about your motivations. That's a nicely troubling question. In an important way, motivations don't really matter. All the Clock is trying to do is give permission to think long term.