On February 25th, an international delegation of scientists was present at the World Meteorological Organization (WWMO) in Geneva, Switzerland, to celebrate the 4th International Polar Year (IPY) and the important milestone it has set in our understanding of the Earth's system. The WMO, who sponsored the IPY along with the International Council for Science, released its preliminary report "The State of Polar Research".

The IPY is the world's largest internationally coordinated research effort, gathering no less than 60,000 scientists and support staff from 60 nations. The two-year programme has helped bring knowledge about the poles - and their influence on the rest of the planet - forward and has attracted media attention worldwide.

Celebrations were heightened by the first broadcast ever of "Beyond the Poles", a movie directed and produced by the International Polar Foundation (IPF). A celebration of the 4th IPY, "Beyond the Poles" explores some of the polar research projects carried out across the globe and offers a wider perspective into the future of our planet. The movie was enjoyed by all and continues to be acclaimed to this day.