Polar Experience 2009 in Middelburg

16 February 2009

Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Máxima to attend the official closing ceremony of the International Polar Year

To mark the closure of the fourth International Polar Year (IPY), the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) is organising the event 'Polar Experience 2009' that will be held on 6 and 7 March in Middelburg. Via a range of activities the public can 'experience' the poles and learn more about polar research. On Friday 6 March, HRH the Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima of the Netherlands will be guests of honour at this event. Polar Experience 2009 will take place in and around the Abbey complex in Middleburg. Representatives from the media are welcome to attend once they have registered for the event.

Polar Experience

For hundreds of years researchers have been fascinated by the North and South poles where there is still so much to discover. What secrets lie hidden in these worlds of snow and ice? What will happen if the ice melts due to global warming? And what consequences will this have for the rest of the planet? The answer to these questions, and many more, can be found during the poster presentations, demonstrations and films. Moreover, there is a freezer to let visitors feel how cold it is at the poles, a replica of a sloop from Willem Barents as well as two special polar education trucks for children.

The Polar Experience will be held in and around the Abbey complex in the heart of Middelburg and is open to the public on Friday 6 March from 16.00 - 20.00 hours and on Saturday 7 March from 10.00- 16.00 hours. Further information about the programme can be found on www.poolbelevenis.nl (only in dutch).

Royal visit

During the afternoon of Friday 6 March, Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Maxima shall be present at the official closing ceremony of the International Polar Year. The official programme will take place in the Nieuwe Kerk in Middelburg. Together with the other invited guests, the Prince and Princess will hear speeches from Prof. Jos Engelen, chair of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research, and Prof. Hans Oerlemans, researcher at Utrecht University in the area of Greenland and Antarctic ice caps. The royal couple will then visit various parts of the Polar Experience event, during which polar researchers shall explain their work. After this tour, Polar Experience 2009 will open its doors to the general public.

Scientific symposium

Prior to the open days, a scientific symposium for polar researchers will be held on Thursday 5 March and the morning of Friday 6 March. All Dutch research projects started under the auspices of the International Polar Year 2007/2008 will be presented. Scientists from throughout the Netherlands will present their research results and their plans for the future. Most of the IPY projects still have several years to run. Dutch researchers shall continue to play an important role in polar research.

International Polar Year 2007/2008

The IPY 2007/2008 was organised to give a new impulse to scientific research in the polar regions. During the Polar Year, various internationally coordinated research projects into the polar regions were started in which Dutch researchers have played a prominent role. Polar Experience 2009 marks the official closing of IPY 2007/2008. However, this does not mean that the research has been completed. On the contrary, the important work started during the Polar Year must now be continued. Knowledge transfer and increasing public awareness about the importance of the polar regions was one of the spearheads during the IPY.

The Dutch Royal Family were involved in several activities of the International Polar Year. Her Majesty the Queen attended the start of the IPY at Leeuwarden in March 2007. Various members of the Royal Family were present in October 2008 at a symposium held in Noordeinde Palace about this subject. And just a few weeks ago the Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima made a visit to Antarctica at the invitation of NWO.

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For further information and media accreditation:

Programme Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Máxima

Friday 6 March, Nieuwe Kerk, Abbey complex Middelburg
13.50 hours: Arrival
14.10 hours: Speeches Jos Engelen (NWO) and Hans Oerlemans (Utrecht University)
14.50 hours: Start guided tour
15.30 hours: Departure

NB!

Accreditation can only be obtained until Wednesday 4 March, 16.00 hours by e-mail: d.redeker@nwo.nl, stating your name, medium and position.

Due to the space available, a limited access policy might be enforced. The press will be informed about this on Thursday 5 March by e-mail. Accredited media are expected between 12.30 and 13.15 hours due to the closure of the site.

No media are permitted during the guided tour of the Prince and Princess around the Polar Experience. A press podium will be present during the arrival of the royal couple and the speeches in the Nieuwe Kerk. After the royal visit, the Polar Experience will be open to the media.

Polar Experience 2009

Abbey complex 1, Middelburg
Scientific symposium: 5 March from 11.00 - 17.00 hours, 6 March from 09.00 - 12.30 hours
Open days 6 March from 16.00 - 20.00 hours, 7 March from 10.00 - 16.00 hours
For further information about the programme see www.poolbelevenis.nl
For further information about IPY 2007/2008, see www.ipy.nl 

last modified on 7 April 2010