international
polar
foundation

With the first season of Class Zero Emission behind us, it is time for the International Polar Foundation to release its first assessment of the project. With 1700 pupils (1000 flemish-speaking and 700 French-speaking) having attended the workshop since its opening in March 2009, the IPF's educational team is quite satisfied with the overall outcome.

The International Polar Foundation attended the European Polar Summit 2009 held on the 24th of June at the International Auditorium in Brussels and organised by the European Polar Board. During this meeting a Memorandum of Understanding for a "European Polar Framework" was signed closing the EUROPOLAR ERA-NET project.

For the fourth year in a row, the International Polar Foundation grants an Energy & Environment Award to a candidate whose project has had favorable implications in fighting climate change. For this year's edition, held on June 5th at the "Maison des Tanneurs" in Brussels, the winner of the IPF prize was v.z.w. Komosie, from the province of Antwerp (Berchem).

On May 28th, Alain Hubert and three other meriting scientists were awarded an honoris causa degree by the University of Hasselt in Belgium.

On May 28th 2009, Alain Hubert was awarded the Harvard Leadership prize by the Harvard Club of Belgium. This is the first year the prize has recognized someone for his legacy.

The World Meteorological Organization and the International Council for Science have awarded the International Polar Foundation's President, Mr. Alain Hubert, and Vice-President, Ms. Nighat Amin, with a certificate of appreciation.

On Wednesday April 29th, 2009, the Flemish Government's department of Economy, Science and Innovation organized an afternoon of networking within the framework of a science communication action plan. As co-organizer of the meeting, the International Polar Foundation made its pedagogical workshop "Class Zero Emission" available for the occasion. All organisations active in science communication and popularization in Flanders were invited to the event.

Invited by H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, Alain Hubert, Director of the Princess Elisabeth Station project and winner of the Prince Albert II Foundation's award for climate change in 2008, attended a special event on Antarctica that followed up on the Prince's journey to the 7th continent during the 2008-2009 austral season. It was held on April 14th at the Grimaldi Forum of Monaco and gathered a number of scientific personalities, schoolchildren, journalists and citizens.

Protect 7-7, a unique photography exhibition, was held on the 7th continent in January 2009. Wim Tellier, the author of this exhibit, chose the "Gedempte Zuiderdokken" in Antwerp to unfold on April 24th through 26th his six 20m X 40m photographs that had previously been carried to and displayed in Antarctica. A total of 4800 m2, it is the biggest art exhibition in the world.

During the 32nd Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) and 50th anniversary celebration in Baltimore, Maryland (USA), the Belgian minister in charge of Economy and Administrative Simplification, Mr. Vincent Van Quickenborne, was proud to announce Belgium's return to Antarctica through the achievement of the Princess Elisabeth Research Station. Special congratulations were given to Alain Hubert, Founding President of the International Polar Foundation (IPF) and Director of the Princess Elisabeth Station Antarctica project, "whose energy and determination transformed this project into reality."