Antarctica Day, held annually on December 1, recognises the anniversary of the signing of the Antarctic Treaty in 1959. Dedicating Antarctica as a “natural reserve, devoted to peace and science,” the Antarctic Treaty is important to the preservation of the continent.
It is the foundation on which the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) and its members operate and informs how we promote the practice of safe and environmentally responsible private-sector travel to the Antarctic.
Antarctica Day is a day to celebrate scientific research, peaceful international relations, and environmental conservation. Please join us in celebrating the continent we all love by doing one (or all!) of the activities below.
Tell your Antarctic Story
First-hand visitor experiences are incredibly impactful. If you’ve visited Antarctica, your heartfelt account of your expedition could inspire dozens of your family, friends, or peers to learn more about the preservation of Antarctica. Share your story on social media with those beautiful photos from your trip with #AntarcticaDay.
Credit: © Lauren Farmer
Write an Antarctica-Inspired Nature Haiku
Stretch those creative muscles and profess your love for Antarctica through haiku. Originating from Japan, this type of poetry is short and sweet and traditionally nature themed. Haikus are structured in a five syllable, seven syllable, five syllable pattern.
Here’s an IAATO original haiku, for example:
Frozen mountains high.
Penguins waddle to-and-fro.
Icy winds roll on.
Listen to a Polar Podcast
Where education meets entertainment, podcasts are perfect for busy travellers and on-the-go learners. We’ve compiled a list of Polar Podcasts that speak on topics including Antarctic wildlife, citizen science, history and more.
Become an Antarctic Ambassador
Do you want to make a difference and inspire others to care passionately about Antarctica? Become an Antarctic Ambassador today and join a wonderful group of students, polar scientists, field staff and more. For even more fun, take the Ambassadorship Challenge.
Host a Beach Clean-Up
Take a trip to the beach or your local park and see how much trash you can remove from the environment. You can even make a game of it and play Beach Clean-Up Bingo.
Participate in a Citizen Science Project
Science isn’t only conducted in the field or a lab – citizens can contribute to science projects from wherever they are! Citizen Science is the collection of data by polar visitors and guides for projects developed by professional scientists. Your data will contribute towards globally important research, and you’ll have fun doing it. Here are a few projects you can get involved with:
- Report your whale sightings through organizations like ORCA, Happywhale, and Orca Network.
- Count penguin adults, chicks and eggs in faraway lands to help scientists understand their lives and environment with Penguin Watch.
- Join the largest group of naturalists in the world and share your observations with iNaturalist.
- Help NASA scientists understand clouds and interpret satellite cloud data with GLOBE Clouds.
Credit: © GLOBE Clouds
How are you celebrating Antarctica Day? Share your activities with us on Facebook or Instagram.