NZ’s role in Antarctica – can you help us tell the story

www.antarcticanz.govt.nz

Media Statement

01 September 2016

New Zealand’s role in Antarctica – can you help us tell the story?

For the past six-decades, the New Zealand Antarctic programme has taken media, artists and educators to Scott Base to help tell the story of New Zealand’s role in Antarctica.

The Community Engagement Programme (formerly the Media Programme and Artists and Writers Programme) remains an integral part of Antarctica New Zealand’s mandate to increase public awareness of Antarctic science, our operations and our preeminent role in the Antarctic Treaty System which governs the continent.

“We aim to support innovative outreach proposals which align to Antarctica New Zealand's strategic purpose in Antarctica,” says Antarctica New Zealand Chief Executive Peter Beggs.

“Applications are now open for this once in a lifetime opportunity – an immersive, life changing, visit to Scott Base, one of the world’s most remote locations, during the Antarctic summer of 2017/18.”

Surrounded by the history of early explorers like Ross, Scott, Shackleton and our very own Sir Edmond Hillary, you will feel a sense of time travel. Such heroism remains poignant today with a passionate team of support staff and researchers working in extreme conditions to deliver world-class science. Aided by new technologies, we’re learning more about the secrets held within the frozen continent that will help us to better predict the future of Antarctica and the rest of the planet.

In fact, Antarctica offers a lens into a world which was once covered in subtropical flora and fauna, but today it holds 90 per cent of the world’s freshwater, locked up as ice. If all of this ice was to melt, it could raise sea levels by more than 60 meters.

“Antarctica is literally right on New Zealand’s back door step and it’s important people understand that it has much more to do with your daily life than you’d expect,” says Jeanine Foster, Antarctica New Zealand General Manager of Communications. “That’s why we’re collaborating with traditional and social media experts, artists and writers, and a passionate and driven education community, to help tell our story and make our science more relevant to the public.”

But it’s not all doom and gloom says Mrs Foster, “We’re committed to engaging with New Zealanders, in an interactive and meaningful way, to highlight the importance the Government’s commitment to protecting this unique environment.”

The Community Engagement Programme is open for applications until 01 December 2016. Information about selection criteria and process is available at http://www.antarcticanz.govt.nz/education/communityengagementprogramme/

ENDS

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