61 years of Antarctica Treaty signature. December 1st, Antarctica day

UK Antarctic Heritage Trust (UKAHT) remind us that, today is Antarctica Day, marking 61 years since the Antarctic Treaty was signed by 12 countries, to set aside the Antarctic continent for peaceful, international scientific cooperation. The Antarctic Treaty is the world’s most successful international agreement and in its time the Treaty has endorsed the Protocol on Environmental Protection, designating Antarctica as a nature reserve and committing signatories to the protection of the environment and its ecosystem.

This day falls in what is already a very special year with UKAHT celebrating the 200th anniversary of the first sighting of Antarctica through our Antarctica In Sight program. Whilst many of our planned events this year

Along with our Podcast series A Voyage To Antarctica which has received over 6K listens so far, we’ve created three short films in response to the programme themes of Human endeavour: courage and exploration; Climate: scientific legacy; and Geopolitics: exploitation to preservation.

We spoke to Antarctic Photography Guide, Neill Drake, Climate Scientist and Explorer, Felicity Aston and UN Patron for Oceans, Lewis Pugh, about their experience of working in Antarctica and how they have been inspired by the history of the white continent.

From Antarctic explorer and photographer Frank Hurley’s extreme efforts to capture the mood of the moment, scientific breakthroughs in Ozone layer research in the 1980’s to chilling reminders of the destruction of the whaling industry in the early 20th Century.

With each film under 2 minutes, we think this is the perfect break time escape. Find out more on our Antarctica in Sight page at:  https://www.ukaht.org/antarctica-in-sight/