New Zealanders and other nationals who have made an outstanding contribution to Antarctica could be in line to receive a New Zealand-specific medal, equivalent to the Queen's Service Medal.
With its first recipients to be announced in the 2007 New Year's Honours List, the Queen has approved this medal (equivalent to the British Polar Medal) for New Zealand and other nationals involved in the NZ Antarctic programme who have made a significant contribution to the protection and knowledge of Antarctica.
As award-winning New Zealand news and information website www.stuff.co.nz reports, the "...medal could be awarded to New Zealanders and others who...have made an outstanding contribution to either exploration, scientific research, conservation, environmental protection or knowledge of the Antarctic region"
For further information visit the British Antarctic Survey website for a history of the prestigious British Polar Medal medal, instituted in 1904 for members of Captain Scott's first expedition to the Antarctic aboard Discovery.
You can also visit Discover the World's Antarctic Voyages website, which includes details of small-vessel explorations of the great white continent, their Great Explorers' Voyage (departs 12th December 2006) gives you the chance to visit Cape Evans (Scott's 'Hut Point'), Shackleton's hut at Cape Royds and even attempt the 'farthest south by ship' record by visiting the Bay of Whales, where Amundsen was based for his successful south pole expedition.
With the upcoming International Polar Year 2007/2008, Polar education is once again on the agenda
and this initiative will be fundamental in helping today's world community to better understand just how much the cold ends of the sphere we all live on really do influence us. You can find out more at www.ipy.org
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