Singapore, January 2024 – Breaking new ground in the realm of women-led explorations, HER Planet Earth proudly announces the Gobi Desert Winter 2024 Expedition, uniting 15 women from diverse corners of the globe. This extraordinary mission is a blend of exhilarating adventure, staunch commitment to climate action, and dedicated empowerment of local women across Mongolia. The HER Planet Earth all-female team is set to embark on its 11th expedition to date, a 100km expedition, navigating the formidable Gobi Desert in early March 2024, astride Bactrian camels. Their ambitious goal is to raise $50,000 USD for The Nature Conservancy (TNC)'s impactful initiatives in Mongolia. The focus of these projects includes empowering women in herding communities, fostering enhanced land conservation, and creating avenues for additional income. This unprecedented venture seeks to transcend boundaries, combining the thrill of adventure with a profound commitment to climate action and the upliftment of women in some of the world's most resilient communities. As the all-female team undertakes this challenging odyssey, they aim not only to explore part of the vast expanse of the Gobi but also to make a lasting impact on the lives of those they encounter along their transformative journey. Why Gobi Desert? The Gobi Desert, spanning across Mongolia and China, was chosen for its unique combination of challenge and beauty. It is the largest, as well as the coldest desert in Asia, and the fifth largest in the world. The Gobi’s unique ecosystem is renowned for its stunning natural formations, as well as real dinosaur fossils and endemic flora and fauna. Prominent landforms include sand hills and dunes, dry mountain slopes, gravelly steppes, rocky hills, saxaul forests, dry riverbeds, and more. Situated to the north and high up around 1,500m above sea level, the Gobi is a cold desert with extreme weather conditions. Indeed, as one of the harshest deserts globally, the Gobi provides a testing ground for the HER Planet Earth all-female team, riding Bactrian camels across its vast expanse. The expedition not only aims to showcase the resilience of women but also emphasises the importance of environmental conservation in fragile ecosystems. This journey through the Gobi Desert underscores the significance of preserving Mongolian herding communities and their delicate balance between tradition and conservation. The stark beauty of the Gobi serves as a backdrop to the mission's core objectives: empowering local women, advancing conservation efforts, and fostering sustainable practices. The Team's Journey Upon arrival in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, the women will visit TNC's Mongolia headquarters. The following day marks the beginning of the scenic drive to Dalanzadgad city, covering 600 kilometres bringing them closer to the desert expedition that awaits. As they emerge from the winter season, the team will face the unique challenge of Gobi's unforgiving weather transition, with temperatures in March potentially dropping below 20 degrees Celsius and the winds proving to be very harsh, adding an extra layer of challenge and awe to their adventure. Before the Gobi Desert journey commences, the women will visit nearby TNC conservation projects dedicated to environmental and community development. This enlightening experience sets the stage for the extraordinary camel riding expedition in the Gobi Desert, covering an initial 25 kilometres on the first day. Continuing the camel journey, the team will cover 25 kilometres each day, venturing deeper into the captivating expanse of the Gobi Desert. Nights will be spent at Ger Camps, providing an authentic taste of Mongolian culture beneath the vast desert skies. The desert is also home to extremely rare animals such as the wild Bactrian camel, Mongolian wild ass, snow leopard and the Gobi bear. After completing their 100km crossing, the team will take part in a local Camel Festival, an immersive celebration offering camel rides, camel polo, parades, contests, camel races, traditional games, and concerts. This festival provides valuable insights into the rich culture and resilience of the Gobi's inhabitants, creating lasting memories for the team. The next day, the women will embark on the long ride back to Ulaanbaatar, and the journey will culminate with a farewell dinner at a local restaurant, celebrating the bonds forged and the memories created during this transformative experience. The team will carry with them not only the achievement of exploring the Gobi, but also the resilience imprinted by weathering winter in one of the harshest deserts on earth. The Cause The HER Planet Earth expedition supports The Nature Conservancy (TNC), a global environmental organisation dedicated to impactful conservation efforts across over 70 countries. TNC partners with Mongolian herder communities, preserving the delicate balance between tradition and conservation. The expedition's funds will empower women in the community through handicraft training, support research in innovative livestock management, and enhance livestock nutrition, promoting sustainable practices for the prosperity of herding families. “Just as our camels leave footprints in the Gobi's sands, we aim to leave a lasting impact, ensuring a sustainable and prosperous future for the herding families we support. Embarking on the Gobi Desert Expedition is a testament to the indomitable spirit of women who dare to face the harsh winds and chilling temperatures, both in nature and in societal challenges. This journey is a metaphor for the resilience we cultivate within ourselves and the bonds we forge amid adversity. Together, we ride towards a future where resilience, empowerment, and conservation converge to create a world worthy of the challenges we surmount." shared Christine Amour-Levar, Founder of HER Planet Earth. FILMING Award-winning filmmaker Jacqui Hocking, known for her early work collecting climate change solutions on a UN Global Climate Expedition, will be part of the upcoming expedition. Over the past decade, she has evolved into a pioneer of purpose-driven business, building B Corp certified companies focusing on social and environmental impact. In 2022, her company, VS Story, was acquired by Redhill, a global communications firm, where she continues her mission. As a Partner at NowPartners, a global partnership of senior business leaders, Jacqui advocates for change-makers within companies, emphasizing that business is a powerful tool to achieve the Global Goals. NOTES TO EDITORS
About HER Planet Earth Founded in 2017, HER Planet Earth is a non-profit organisation headquartered in Singapore that aims to empower women to mitigate climate change. One of its core objectives is to inspire more women to become policymakers and agents of change to achieve social and economic equity and a healthy and thriving planet. HER Planet Earth organises challenging, often pioneering, self-funded expeditions around the world to increase awareness on environmental degradation and raise funds for programmes that empower and educate underprivileged women affected by climate change - ultimately helping them build climate change resilience. The organisation partners with nature lovers, environmentalists, scientists, polar explorers, adventurers, women’s rights advocates, corporates, tech entrepreneurs, feminists and charities that have programmes and structures in place dedicated to building a deeper connection between gender equality, genuinely sustainable development, and the protection of the environment. Team Profiles The team of this HER Planet Earth Gobi Desert 2024 Adventure is formed by 15 intrepid women of diverse nationalities and backgrounds. While they are all incredibly well accomplished in their careers, they are equally passionate about protecting the environment and empowering underprivileged women. To read the team bios please click here To donate to the mission please visit the team’s fundraising page here To follow the team’s journey follow them on: For media queries, please contact: connect@herplanetearth.com 12/4/2019 HER Planet Earth Team Attempts Crossing of Greenland’s Arctic Circle Trail on FatbikesRead Now For Immediate Release Singapore, 4 December 2019 - In March 2020, a self-funded team of 10 women coming together under the banner of ‘HER Planet Earth’ - a non-profit organisation headquartered in Singapore dedicated to gender equality and environmental conservation - will attempt the winter crossing of Greenland's Arctic Circle Trail on fatbikes. This is a feat that has never been accomplished by an all-female team before. The objective of this 11-day, 200km pioneering expedition is to raise awareness and funds (a team total of S$50,000) for underprivileged women affected by climate change in the Asia region. In the past decade, climate related disasters have led to the loss of 700 thousand lives, 1.7 billion people affected and economic losses of USD 1.4 trillion. These effects disproportionately affect women and girls: multiple discriminations mean that women are more vulnerable in crises and post disasters situations. In view of this, the team wants to raise funds for UN Women UK, and their programmes supporting the economic empowerment of women in rural areas of Asia, more specifically, in countries most affected by climate change, such as Vietnam, Bangladesh and Nepal. “Imagine a world where all people have equal rights and opportunities. Women and girls are not afraid of walking home late at night, and men and boys are not trapped in oppressive masculinities. A world in which women have equal say in decisions that affect their lives, their bodies, their policies, and their environment, from villages to cities. In this world, gender equality is the norm. Only with the commitment of activist organisations like HER Planet Earth and its fantastic volunteers can we begin to make this a reality. Now is the time to change the way the world works for women,” said Simon Gallow, Development Director at UN Women UK. Why Greenland? Recent HER Planet Earth expeditions have taken all-female teams to remote islands in the Philippines, to new peaks in Antarctica, to the largest caves in the world in Vietnam and to mountains in Iceland and North Kenya. For this next challenge, the team has chosen Greenland, the world’s largest island and an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, because of growing concerns related to global warming and rising sea levels. The glaciers of Greenland are contributing to a rise in the global sea level faster than was previously believed and the women want to see for themselves the extent of the ice melt, while also meeting with climate scientists and local Inuit people to better understand the gravity of the situation. The big concern for the future is if the giant ice sheets in Greenland continue to melt, this would raise global sea levels by as much as 7m. While all coastal cities will be affected by rising sea levels, Asian cities will be hit much harder than others given their population, economic activity and landmass. Many of the processes that control sea-level rise are amplified in Asia. As a result, about four out of every five people impacted by sea-level rise by 2050 will live in East or South-east Asia. The Team’s Journey The expedition will start in Copenhagen with an expedition briefing. The team will then fly to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. With snowmobile support to transfer bags, the team will then spend six days pedalling from the Russell Glacier to the coast through a variety of terrain including steep hills, rocky outcrops and vast frozen plains and lakes. The daily temperatures are expected to be between -10 and -30 degrees Celsius and on their journey, the women may also encounter polar bears, reindeer, arctic foxes, musk oxen and arctic wolves. Starting with the 60km “pinnacle” leg, the women will progress slowly on the frozen fjord before the track becomes slightly hilly. The subsequent legs at 23 to 37km (per day) are relatively short, but can be quite tough when there is fresh snow. For this next expedition - HER Planet Earth’s eighth to date - the team has chosen to partner, with UK-based company Secret Compass, founded by ex-British military officers of Her Majesty's Forces Parachute Regiment, who are pioneers in adventurous travel leading expeditions to some of the most remote regions on earth. “HER Planet Earth’s objective is to inspire people to leave their comfort zones, families and homes for a certain period of time, while pushing their limits in an effort to rally support for a worthy cause. At the core of our culture is a commitment to empowering underprivileged women, a passion for adventure and a deep respect and love of nature. HER Planet Earth seeks to take participants on pioneering expeditions around the world, so that they can make new discoveries, flourish as individuals, but most importantly, contribute to society. By travelling in such challenging conditions, the team hopes to bring international attention to the need for societies, governments and corporations to get involved and help support climate action and women empowerment,” said HER Planet Earth Founder and CEO, Christine Amour-Levar NOTES TO EDITORS
About HER Planet Earth HER Planet Earth is a non-profit organisation headquartered in Singapore that aims to empower women as a way to mitigate climate change. One of its core objectives is to inspire more women to become policymakers and agents of change in order to achieve social and economic equity and a healthy and thriving planet. HER Planet Earth organises challenging, often pioneering, and self-funded expeditions around the world to increase awareness on environmental degradation and raise funds for programmes that empower and educate underprivileged women affected by climate change - ultimately helping them build climate change resilience. The organisation partners with nature lovers, environmentalists, scientists, polar explorers, adventurers, women’s rights advocates, corporates, tech entrepreneurs, feminists and charities that have programmes and structures in place dedicated to building a deeper connection between gender equality, genuinely sustainable development and the protection of the environment. About UN Women UK UN Women UK is the UK arm of UN Women, the global organisation for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. Founded in 2010, UN Women works at every level to create change, from working with governments to change policy and legislation, to empowering business leaders to create inclusive workplaces, to delivering programmes on the ground for women entrepreneurs and survivors of violence. For more information, please get in touch at info@unwomenuk.org. The Strategic Importance of Greenland Greenland's strategic importance has also grown amid increased Arctic shipping and international competition for rare minerals. Arctic waters are becoming more navigable because of melting ice, linked to global warming. The vast island is strategically located between North America and Europe, easing deliveries to many markets. Mining is expanding because Greenland's vast ice sheet has been retreating significantly in recent years. Team Profiles The team of this HER Planet Earth Greenland 2020 Expedition is formed by 10 intrepid women of diverse nationalities and backgrounds. While they are all incredibly well accomplished in their careers, they are equally passionate about protecting the environment and empowering underprivileged women. To read the team bios please click here. To donate to the mission please visit the team’s fundraising page here. To see pictures of the team’s journey: ‘LIKE’ their Facebook page, follow them on Twitter and Instagram. For media queries, please contact: connect@herplanetearth.com |
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December 2023
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