2007 Youth Expedition

14 - 23 September 2007

Longyearbyen - Ny-Alesund - Longyearbyen (Svalbard)

Twelve young people from the UK, Canada and Germany

In September 2007, Cape Farewell launched our first youth expedition and fourth Art/Science Expedition. Each expedition was spectacular and unique in its own way. The Art/Science Expedition was an epic journey sailing over 1800 nautical miles, whilst the Youth Expedition took twelve students from the UK, Germany and Canada to Svalbard in the Norwegian Arctic to complete landmark art and science projects.

The twelve 15-16 year old students were selected based on their enthusiasm to investigate and communicate climate change. Whilst living and working together for 10 days on the sailing schooner the Noorderlicht, each developed a project which explored an aspect of climate change from both a scientific and an artistic perspective.

What they did

Each participant undertook and completed an arts/science project of their own. Their progress was presented through the Cape Farewell voyage website - in their blogs, video reports, and video diaries and through multimedia installations at Southbank Centre, London and the Eden Project, Cornwall for the duration of the expeditions.

Each student conducted a live Q&A session from the Arctic back to their schools, enabling the whole school to join the journey and engage with the issue of climate change.

The students were supported in the Arctic by science and art mentors who lead group activities and also worked with individuals to help them with their chosen projects. The onboard media team worked with the students to document all activities and keep the web full of new content.

The long term aim of the project in the twelve schools and in the Arctic itself was to create an international educational community which works together imaginatively to make a real impact on perceptions of climate change.

What's next?

Cape Farewell have just finished their Climate Blueprint (shortly to be released on the internet). This blueprint, supported by Creative Partnerships in the UK documents the 2007 youth expedition and acts as guide for schools, teachers and pupils to develop cross-curriculum projects around the subject of climate change.

In 2008, our second Youth Expedition will launch in September. The Youth Expedition will be broadcast live on the internet allowing a global reach for this Arctic adventure.