*[Enwl-eng] [press-release] Young explorers,Greenpeace plant flag on seabed at North Pole,call for global sanctuary
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Apr 15, 2013, 8:08:22 AM4/15/13
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*Young explorers, Greenpeace plant flag on seabed at North Pole, call
for global sanctuary*
North Pole, April 15, 2013 --- Four young people on a mission with
Greenpeace have planted a flag on the seabed beneath the North Pole, at
the same spot where a submarine planted a Russian flag claiming the
Arctic for Moscow. (1) The young people planted their 'flag for the
future' four kilometers beneath the ice at the top of the world and
called for the region to be declared a global sanctuary.
The campaigners (2) held a ceremony this weekend at the geographic North
Pole, led by two Arctic Indigenous ambassadors. There they cut a hole in
the ice and lowered a flag designed by a child (3) from Malaysia,
through the freezing waters to the seabed.
The flag is attached to a glass and titanium time capsule (4) containing
the signatures of nearly three million people, including actors,
musicians, artists and business leaders (5) who asked for their names to
be taken to the Pole when they joined Greenpeace's campaign calling for
the Arctic to be protected from exploitation.
Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu this weekend joined the
call for a global sanctuary, saying: "I offer my full support to these
young people who travelled to the North Pole on behalf of those whose
lives are being turned upside down by climate change." (6)
Hollywood actor Ezra Miller --- star of We Need to Talk About Kevin and
The Perks of Being a Wallflower --- is one of the youth ambassadors who
planted the flag and the names. Another is 26-year-old Josefina Skerk,
an Indigenous activist and Sami Parliament member in Sweden.
"By coming to the top of the world and planting this flag, we're hoping
to inspire young people everywhere. We're here to say this special area
of the Arctic belongs to no person or nation, but is the common heritage
of everyone on Earth," Skerk said. "Our names and those of millions more
are now planted on the seabed beneath the Pole. Together we're asking
that this area be declared a global sanctuary, off-limits to oil
companies and political posturing. We stand in solidarity with
Indigenous Peoples, in the whole of the Arctic, whose way of life is now
being threatened by the unchecked greed of industry."
The expedition coincided with the first ever meeting at the North Pole
of the Arctic Council, the governing body comprised of foreign ministers
and senior officials from Arctic states. As the expedition started,
Skerk requested a meeting with the group, but was refused.
The week-long expedition to the Pole is part of a global campaign to
protect the Arctic, under threat from climate change, oil companies,
industrial fishing and shipping. As global warming melts the sea ice,
companies such as Shell, Gazprom and Statoil are moving in to exploit
the region's oil as nation states lay claim to areas previously covered
by ice.
The youth ambassadors and Greenpeace campaigners have challenged the
companies and nations seeking to profit from climate change. By planting
the time capsule and flag, they have drawn a line in the ice, telling
the polluters and oil companies: you come no further.
The young people are part of a Greenpeace team that trekked for one week
across the frozen ocean in freezing winds and temperatures of minus 30
degrees Celsius. They traveled around 10 km a day, each dragging heavy
sleighs weighing 80kg behind them. In a remote and dangerous environment
their supplies dwindled as the shifting ice took them further from the
Pole. The team then hitched a ride with a helicopter that was flying in
from the nearby Barneo Base, to put them within striking distance of the
Pole, allowing them to ski and drift a shorter final distance and
complete their journey to the top of the world.
-ENDS-
ADDITIONAL QUOTES FROM THE YOUTH AMBASSADORS -- USE AS APPROPRIATE:
Kiera-Dawn Kolson, youth ambassador and outreach campaigner for
Greenpeace Canada:
"The Arctic Ocean is one of the great wonders of the world and its
purity and beauty has struck me deeply this past week. We must keep
reckless industry away from this purity, when these people have no idea
how to clean up spills under the ice or protect this incredibly fragile
place. This week I've realised that regardless of where we live in the
world, we all rely on each other to survive, and it is this unity and
respect that we need to protect our earth for future generations. As an
Indigenous person, I absolutely oppose those industries that seek to
exploit nature for profit against the subsistence needs of the community."
Renny Bijoux, youth ambassador, member of the Youth Parliament from the
Seychelles:
"Though we are in the Arctic and I live in the Seychelles, on a global
level it is my homeland too. Whatever happens here affects my people,
from rising seas to growing storms. Sustainable development is the key.
We must respect our environment and develop within its limits, because
if we destroy our climate, we cannot sustain our development for future
generations. The damage is clear and it is apparent. It's time for those
in power, like the Arctic Council, to realise this and to see that
protecting the Arctic is a global necessity."
Ezra Miller, youth ambassador, actor and musician from New York:
"I can't feel the tips of my fingers or toes but my head and heart are
filled with a newfound determination. Melting ice is a catastrophe, not
a profit-making opportunity. To see it as such is utter madness. Three
million people have now joined this movement to declare their commitment
to save this vital part of our earth; I feel honoured to be a part of
this team, which was chosen to represent all of them at this critical
moment in history. This is a collective responsibility. It's up to all
of us, and especially the youth, to change the way that humanity treats
this amazing planet we love and rely on so completely."
*For more information or to speak with one of the team, please call:
*
Jessica Wilson, Greenpeace International Arctic campaign, +44 7896 893118?
Anna Jones, Greenpeace International Arctic campaign, +44 7717 311103
Aaron Gray-Block, Greenpeace International media relations, +31 6 4616 2026
*Notes
*[1] A Russian submarine, piloted by explorer Artur Chilligarov, planted
the Russian flag beneath the Pole in 2007. Before embarking on his
expedition Chilligarov said: "The Arctic is Russian. We must prove the
North Pole is an extension of the Russian landmass." Wikileaks cables
later revealed he was acting on the instructions of the Kremlin.
[2] The Team Aurora youth ambassadors include 20-year-old musician and
Hollywood actor Ezra Miller, star of We Need to Talk About Kevin and The
Perks of Being a Wallflower; Renny Bijoux, member of the Youth
Parliament from the Seychelles; Kiera-Dawn Kolson of the
Tso'Tine-Gwich'in nations in Northern Canada, and Josefina Skerk, an
Indigenous activist and member of the Sami Parliament in Sweden.
[3] The 'flag for the future' was designed by 13-year-old Sarah
Batrisyia from Malaysia, who won a global competition run by the World
Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts and Greenpeace. The contest
was judged by fashion icon Dame Vivienne Westwood
[4] The time capsule was designed and made in Amsterdam by Joris Laarman
Labs. More information on the construction of the time capsule can be
found here.
[5] Among those who asked Greenpeace to take their names to the bottom
of the ocean at the top of the world are boy band One Direction, Paul
McCartney, Penelope Cruz and dozens of other actors, musicians, artists,
and members of the business community such as Richard Branson.
[6] Archbishop Desmond Tutu said: "I offer my full support to these
young people who travelled to the North Pole on behalf of those whose
lives are being turned upside down by climate change. The melting of the
Arctic matters to every person on earth, and I believe that we must work
together to create a sanctuary in the uninhabited area around the North
Pole. We owe it to future generations to protect the Arctic and keep
destructive industry away from this fragile and beautiful place."
*Images*
Images can be viewed at the link below and are available in high
resolution from the Greenpeace picture desk. Please contact John Novis
at +31 (0) 629001152 or john....@greenpeace.org
http://photo.greenpeace.org/C.aspx?VP3=ViewBox_VPage&ALID=27MZIFVS4NWE&CT=Album
*Video
*Various video elements can be downloaded from our publicly accessible
ftp server.
For further assistance please contact Maarten Van Rouveroy at +31 646
197 322 or maarten.va...@greenpeace.org
From: "Aaron Gray-Block" <aaron.gr...@greenpeace.org>
Sent: Monday, April 15, 2013 9:03 AM
Subject: [press-release] Young explorers, Greenpeace plant flag on seabed at
North Pole, call for global sanctuary
------------- * ENWL * ------------
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for global sanctuary*
North Pole, April 15, 2013 --- Four young people on a mission with
Greenpeace have planted a flag on the seabed beneath the North Pole, at
the same spot where a submarine planted a Russian flag claiming the
Arctic for Moscow. (1) The young people planted their 'flag for the
future' four kilometers beneath the ice at the top of the world and
called for the region to be declared a global sanctuary.
The campaigners (2) held a ceremony this weekend at the geographic North
Pole, led by two Arctic Indigenous ambassadors. There they cut a hole in
the ice and lowered a flag designed by a child (3) from Malaysia,
through the freezing waters to the seabed.
The flag is attached to a glass and titanium time capsule (4) containing
the signatures of nearly three million people, including actors,
musicians, artists and business leaders (5) who asked for their names to
be taken to the Pole when they joined Greenpeace's campaign calling for
the Arctic to be protected from exploitation.
Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu this weekend joined the
call for a global sanctuary, saying: "I offer my full support to these
young people who travelled to the North Pole on behalf of those whose
lives are being turned upside down by climate change." (6)
Hollywood actor Ezra Miller --- star of We Need to Talk About Kevin and
The Perks of Being a Wallflower --- is one of the youth ambassadors who
planted the flag and the names. Another is 26-year-old Josefina Skerk,
an Indigenous activist and Sami Parliament member in Sweden.
"By coming to the top of the world and planting this flag, we're hoping
to inspire young people everywhere. We're here to say this special area
of the Arctic belongs to no person or nation, but is the common heritage
of everyone on Earth," Skerk said. "Our names and those of millions more
are now planted on the seabed beneath the Pole. Together we're asking
that this area be declared a global sanctuary, off-limits to oil
companies and political posturing. We stand in solidarity with
Indigenous Peoples, in the whole of the Arctic, whose way of life is now
being threatened by the unchecked greed of industry."
The expedition coincided with the first ever meeting at the North Pole
of the Arctic Council, the governing body comprised of foreign ministers
and senior officials from Arctic states. As the expedition started,
Skerk requested a meeting with the group, but was refused.
The week-long expedition to the Pole is part of a global campaign to
protect the Arctic, under threat from climate change, oil companies,
industrial fishing and shipping. As global warming melts the sea ice,
companies such as Shell, Gazprom and Statoil are moving in to exploit
the region's oil as nation states lay claim to areas previously covered
by ice.
The youth ambassadors and Greenpeace campaigners have challenged the
companies and nations seeking to profit from climate change. By planting
the time capsule and flag, they have drawn a line in the ice, telling
the polluters and oil companies: you come no further.
The young people are part of a Greenpeace team that trekked for one week
across the frozen ocean in freezing winds and temperatures of minus 30
degrees Celsius. They traveled around 10 km a day, each dragging heavy
sleighs weighing 80kg behind them. In a remote and dangerous environment
their supplies dwindled as the shifting ice took them further from the
Pole. The team then hitched a ride with a helicopter that was flying in
from the nearby Barneo Base, to put them within striking distance of the
Pole, allowing them to ski and drift a shorter final distance and
complete their journey to the top of the world.
-ENDS-
ADDITIONAL QUOTES FROM THE YOUTH AMBASSADORS -- USE AS APPROPRIATE:
Kiera-Dawn Kolson, youth ambassador and outreach campaigner for
Greenpeace Canada:
"The Arctic Ocean is one of the great wonders of the world and its
purity and beauty has struck me deeply this past week. We must keep
reckless industry away from this purity, when these people have no idea
how to clean up spills under the ice or protect this incredibly fragile
place. This week I've realised that regardless of where we live in the
world, we all rely on each other to survive, and it is this unity and
respect that we need to protect our earth for future generations. As an
Indigenous person, I absolutely oppose those industries that seek to
exploit nature for profit against the subsistence needs of the community."
Renny Bijoux, youth ambassador, member of the Youth Parliament from the
Seychelles:
"Though we are in the Arctic and I live in the Seychelles, on a global
level it is my homeland too. Whatever happens here affects my people,
from rising seas to growing storms. Sustainable development is the key.
We must respect our environment and develop within its limits, because
if we destroy our climate, we cannot sustain our development for future
generations. The damage is clear and it is apparent. It's time for those
in power, like the Arctic Council, to realise this and to see that
protecting the Arctic is a global necessity."
Ezra Miller, youth ambassador, actor and musician from New York:
"I can't feel the tips of my fingers or toes but my head and heart are
filled with a newfound determination. Melting ice is a catastrophe, not
a profit-making opportunity. To see it as such is utter madness. Three
million people have now joined this movement to declare their commitment
to save this vital part of our earth; I feel honoured to be a part of
this team, which was chosen to represent all of them at this critical
moment in history. This is a collective responsibility. It's up to all
of us, and especially the youth, to change the way that humanity treats
this amazing planet we love and rely on so completely."
*For more information or to speak with one of the team, please call:
*
Jessica Wilson, Greenpeace International Arctic campaign, +44 7896 893118?
Anna Jones, Greenpeace International Arctic campaign, +44 7717 311103
Aaron Gray-Block, Greenpeace International media relations, +31 6 4616 2026
*Notes
*[1] A Russian submarine, piloted by explorer Artur Chilligarov, planted
the Russian flag beneath the Pole in 2007. Before embarking on his
expedition Chilligarov said: "The Arctic is Russian. We must prove the
North Pole is an extension of the Russian landmass." Wikileaks cables
later revealed he was acting on the instructions of the Kremlin.
[2] The Team Aurora youth ambassadors include 20-year-old musician and
Hollywood actor Ezra Miller, star of We Need to Talk About Kevin and The
Perks of Being a Wallflower; Renny Bijoux, member of the Youth
Parliament from the Seychelles; Kiera-Dawn Kolson of the
Tso'Tine-Gwich'in nations in Northern Canada, and Josefina Skerk, an
Indigenous activist and member of the Sami Parliament in Sweden.
[3] The 'flag for the future' was designed by 13-year-old Sarah
Batrisyia from Malaysia, who won a global competition run by the World
Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts and Greenpeace. The contest
was judged by fashion icon Dame Vivienne Westwood
[4] The time capsule was designed and made in Amsterdam by Joris Laarman
Labs. More information on the construction of the time capsule can be
found here.
[5] Among those who asked Greenpeace to take their names to the bottom
of the ocean at the top of the world are boy band One Direction, Paul
McCartney, Penelope Cruz and dozens of other actors, musicians, artists,
and members of the business community such as Richard Branson.
[6] Archbishop Desmond Tutu said: "I offer my full support to these
young people who travelled to the North Pole on behalf of those whose
lives are being turned upside down by climate change. The melting of the
Arctic matters to every person on earth, and I believe that we must work
together to create a sanctuary in the uninhabited area around the North
Pole. We owe it to future generations to protect the Arctic and keep
destructive industry away from this fragile and beautiful place."
*Images*
Images can be viewed at the link below and are available in high
resolution from the Greenpeace picture desk. Please contact John Novis
at +31 (0) 629001152 or john....@greenpeace.org
http://photo.greenpeace.org/C.aspx?VP3=ViewBox_VPage&ALID=27MZIFVS4NWE&CT=Album
*Video
*Various video elements can be downloaded from our publicly accessible
ftp server.
For further assistance please contact Maarten Van Rouveroy at +31 646
197 322 or maarten.va...@greenpeace.org
From: "Aaron Gray-Block" <aaron.gr...@greenpeace.org>
Sent: Monday, April 15, 2013 9:03 AM
Subject: [press-release] Young explorers, Greenpeace plant flag on seabed at
North Pole, call for global sanctuary
------------- * ENWL * ------------
Ecological North West Line * St. Petersburg, Russia
Independent Environmental Net Service: http://www.bellona.ru/enwl/
Russian: ENWL(discussions), ENWL-inf(FSU information), ENWL-misc(any topics)
English: ENWL-eng (world information)
en...@lew.spb.org, enwl...@lew.spb.org, en...@lew.spb.org, en...@lew.spb.org
Subscription, Moderator: vf...@lew.spb.org or en...@enw.net.ru
Archive: http://enwl.bellona.ru/pipermail/
and http://groups.google.com/group/enwl/
SEE ALSO: http://www.bellona.org (English)and http://www.bellona.ru
(Russian)
RSS: http://groups.google.ru/group/enwl/feeds?hl=ru
(C) Please refer to exclusive articles of ENWL
-------------------------------------
ONLY if your address is subscribed:
Enwl-eng mailing list
Enwl...@enwl.bellona.ru
http://enwl.bellona.ru/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/enwl-eng
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