THE EXPLORERS CLUB NAMES 2024 EC50 CLASS

- TRAILBLAZING EXPLORERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD -

NEW YORK, Feb. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Building on its mission to engage with and support up-and-coming explorers from around the world, The Explorers Club today announced the 2024 class of The Explorers Club 50 (EC50): Fifty People Changing the World that the World Needs to Know About.

This year's EC50 honorees include "the germinator" who parachutes into the Amazon with thousands of saplings strapped to his body; a Ukrainian museum curator in a race to preserve the heritage of his people; an indigenous master weaver preserving traditional textile techniques; the first ever double above-knee amputee to summit Everest; a biochemist at the forefront of marine conservation who doubles as a professional surfer; and a blind acoustic engineer capturing the essence of nature through sound, among many others. Please find the list here [insert link]

The EC50 annually recognizes 50 extraordinary people who are doing remarkable work to promote science and exploration. The program was established to reflect the great diversity of individuals on the cutting edge of exploration and to help amplify the voices of these trailblazers. The EC50 class of 2024 can be seen here.

"With the EC50, The Explorers Club has expanded the definition of an explorer, moving beyond the archetypal adventurer to include those who interpret the world through art, music, dance, and culinary expression," said Richard Wiese, President Emeritus of The Explorers Club. "Our focus is to nurture the next generation of explorers and we are dedicated to creating an environment that fosters curiosity, boldness, and innovation. The torch of exploration we pass on is a symbol of hope and guidance for those destined to redefine the known boundaries of our world.

The idea for the EC50 was conceived of in July 2020 to recognize that many of the greatest contributions to modern exploration are coming from all corners of science, art, and culture - perspectives that are historically underrepresented in science and field research. Winners in the first class represented 17 different countries. Now in its fourth year, the collective community  has expanded to more than 200 visionary explorers, representing over 51 countries, including Iraq, Kenya, Peru, Greece, South Korea, Papua New Guinea, Afghanistan, Bhutan, and more.

"For 120 years now, we have promoted exploration by all means possible," said Richard Garriott, President of The Explorers Club. "In that time, The Explorers Club 50 may well be the most important initiative our club has ever undertaken, and I do not make that statement flippantly. As important as it is to get the history right, it is even more important to build a foundation for the future of human endeavor."

This fourth EC50 class also includes Dr. Ihor Poshyvailo, co-founder of the Heritage Emergency Response Initiative (HERI) in response to the war in Ukraine; surfer, chemist, and environmentalist Cliff Kapono; Nilda Callañaupa, a Peruvian master weaver who is preserving the communal textile traditions of the Inca; space-junk catalogers and ISS archaeologists Alice Gorman and Justin Walsh; blind Uruguayan Nature Recordist Juan Pablo Culasso, whose decades-long expertise in recording, editing, and mastering natural soundscapes has bolstered biodiversity conservation and environmental education; and Afghan mountaineer Freshta Ibrahimi, who is using climbing the help fellow refugees find a sense of self-identity.  In 2010, Hari Budha Magar lost both legs to an IED in Afghanistan. He is determined to change perceptions of what is possible with a disability and inspire people to climb their own mountains – he victoriously stood atop Mount Everest, the world's highest peak in May of 2023.

As members of the 2024 class, EC50 winners receive complimentary Explorers Club membership for three years, access to the world's preeminent network of explorers, features in a special issue of The Explorers Journal, global lecture opportunities, and more.

The program is supported by Rolex as part of its Perpetual Planet initiative.

About The Explorers Club:

Since its inception in 1904, members of Club have traversed the earth, seas, skies, and even the moon, on expeditions. Members of The Explorers Club have been the first humans to the North Pole, South Pole, the summit of Mount Everest, the deepest point in the ocean, and the surface of the moon. For over 100 years, the club has been dedicated to the advancement of field research, scientific exploration and resource conservation. Notable members include Teddy Roosevelt, Neil Armstrong, Jane Goodall, Edmund Hillary, John Glenn, Sally Ride and Bob Ballard.

Learn more at https://50.explorers.org/

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SOURCE The Explorers Club