international
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In November 2007, Dominique Kopp and a film crew boarded the Russian icebreaker Ivan Papanin to shoot a film about the Earth's ultimate frontier, Antarctica. While produced within the framework of the 4th International Polar Year 2007-2008, “Par-delà les banquises” (Beyond the Sea Ice) offers a different view on a continent that is most often described as a place of science and exploration.

Isabelle Du Four, one of the educational officers at the International Polar Foundation (IPF), will be joining the Students on Ice Arctic Expedition, travelling through the Arctic region on a ship turned classroom and bringing to life issues facing the Arctic today. As an education team member she will give workshops related to polar fundamentals and environmental issues.

On May 27th, the laureates of the 6th edition of the Energy and Environment Awards were announced in Tour & Taxis (Brussels). The prize is supported by over 100 organizations, most notably by the International Polar Foundation (IPF) which has been presenting the IPF Award since the prize’s inception. With IPF President Alain Hubert stuck in Greenland, it was Executive Director Thierry Touchais who presented the award for the 2011 edition.

The IPF recently became an Associate Member of the University of the Arctic. IPF Executive Director Thierry Touchais participated in the celebrations for the 10th Anniversary of the University of the Arctic on June 8th at the University of Lapland in Rovaniemi, Finland.

On Wednesday, May 18th, the AHA! project, led by Koen Meirlaen and his students from the Leiepoort Deinze Campus Sint-Hendrik became the final winners of the Polar Quest Contest. While the first part of the contest is now over, a next chapter will be written next year as Mr Meirlaen heads down to the Princess Elisabeth Station in Antarctica (PEA). The aim of the AHA! project is to link the scientific research conducted at PEA to analog projects at school. By conducting some observations themselves, the students should then better understand the impact of their behaviour on the environment and consequently adapt it.

The International Polar Year is a large scientific programme focused on the Arctic and the Antarctic from March 2007 to March 2009. During this period, an interdisciplinary and international science programme reinforced science about polar oceans, glaciers and ice sheets, permafrost, etc. In this framework, an integrated Education & Outreach programme gave the general public, media professionals, researchers, and policy makers the opportunity to experience science in real time.

From March 30th to May 31st, Tour & Taxi (Brussels) will host the exhibition “From Brussels, Xiè Xiè Shanghai” (“Thank You, Shanghai”). The exhibition will give those who did not get to see the Belgium Pavilion in Shanghai the opportunity to feel a little of the atmosphere that reigned in China during the six months of the 41st World Expo.

On February 15th, the Princess Elisabeth research station in Antarctica (PEA) was the focal point of the launch of the 'mardis durables du Palais', a special exhibition focusing on sustainable technologies and innovations, at the ‘Palais de la Découverte’ (Paris).

On February 15th 2011 the Princess Elisabeth research station in Antarctica (PEA) will be the centre of attention at the launch of the 'mardis durables du Palais', a special exhibition focussing on sustainable technologies and innovations, at the ‘Palais de la Découverte’ (Paris).

The southern hemisphere winter is over, and as the Antarctic warms up, the members of the BELARE (Belgian Antarctic Research) 2010-2011 expedition have headed to Antarctica to re-open the Princess Elisabeth Station for its first complete “zero emission” season. Departing from Cape Town (South Africa), they landed at Utsteinen on November 11th.