It can be really tricky to find an act project in Switzerland. It is a pretty clean and green country so you can't really pick up trash you know… But our kind organizers found us something interesting and actually useful to do. It wasn't as easy as running uphill because we had to use skills that most of us don't normally use. We had to use both our hands and minds to build something. What can it be?

Well, nothing can stop a young explorer, not even professional and noisy tools. We all put our hands to work to build some bird nests. Those will be used by owls. Normally, owls nest in holes left by woodpeckers but since there are not enough woodpeckers here, a lot of owls don't have anywhere to nest.
Most of the people who came to the reunion are girls and I'm sure you can picture 8 unexperienced women trying to build something out of random pieces of woods. Fortunately, we had Nicolas, a local dad whose boy is part of the Pangaea community, to help us manipulate the power tools and saws. After few hours of hard working and after a couple of mistakes, we finally managed to put together 8 bird nests for the local owls!

It felt great to concretely see the result of your work and to know that you have done something useful. We also discussed about possible projects we can do individually or communally. Brainstorming as a big group is really creative but sometimes hard for we all have different opinions about what we would like projects to look like. But, most importantly, we get to meet amazing people from all over the world and you feel that you finally belong somewhere. It might sound very cliché, but I feel that together we can achieve great things and that is one wonderful opportunity to share and build a unique network with people that have the same strong will to make a change.

Today there was big excitement in the air: we were going to go canyoning in freezing cold water! After a long car journey we finally arrived in "les marecottes", where Claude-Alain and Gilles waited for us. While packing the equipment, everyone was wondering what was ahead of us.

The activity started with a fifteen minute walk uphill. At the top, the guides made sure we all understood the safety precautions and the techinque to use during the canyoning. The first jump into the water was a shock: the water coming from the glacier was so cold! Our first two slides were called the "shower" and the "jacuzzi". While sliding down the rocks, it was essential to have a straight body and to lay on one's back. In the middle of the canyon we had the chance to use a flying fox to get down a 20m waterfall. It was impressive to see the power of the water creating these narrow canyons… To finish this amazing adventure, those who were brave enough had the opportunity to jump from an 8m high cliff. We'd like to thank Wenger for sponsoring this amazing experience…

In the afternoon we had a discussion for our future Green Wave project as well as other long term projects. Since the Young Explorers were very enthusiastic, we ended up having a lot of ideas and are looking forward to commence our up and coming local projects.

Today we had a contrast between swimming in ten degree cold water and sitting around a two hundred degree campfire at night… It was truly an unforgettable day of the YEP reunion camp..

Following the tradition of Selection Camps, the second day of the reunion camp also started with a morning exercise. At 6.30 we reluctantly crept out of our warm sleeping bags and were greeted by a cold gust of fresh alpine air… Setting off at 7 from the camp site, we made our way up the steep slopes, into the forest and over bridges for a refreshing jog. For those of us from countries with level terrain or at lower sea levels, the run was extremely tiring…

After a simple breakfast of bread, muesli and tea as well as a warm shower, the 20 YEPs walked up to Hotel de Ville for some Act project presentations. It was great to hear from other YEPs about other successful environmental projects in other parts of the world: Inspiring each of us to go back to our own communities to do our part for the environment.

A major aim of the Reunion Camp is to plan and implement new Pangaea Act projects around the world. Thus we shared our ideas about a new Green Wave project, that YEPs from every continent can take part in. This lead on perfectly to a presentation made by Nespresso about ecolaboration and their experiences with Mike on the Pangaea. It is fantastic to have a company supporting the Young Explorers Program that is so passionate about creating a sustainable future. The Young Explorers are thoroughly looking forward to collaborate with Nespresso…

This rewarding and fun day was completed with a 45min walk to a farmhouse. The trek up the steep slope was throughly rewarding: the view from the top of the mountain, looking into a breath-taking valley and rocky peaks in the distance, was worth all the effort. At the farmhouse we were pleasantly surprised by a tour of the dairy farm, the production of cheese and of course the cheese tasting. Eating home-made cheese on a mountain is not comparable to eating Swiss cheese bought from a supermarket… Spoilt by a sumptuous meal of raclette and potatoes, we were all throughly grateful to the farmer, Pipo, for his generosity

Chateau d'Oex is the place to be for a Young Explorer today. Loaded with heavy backpacks twenty young minds from all around the world arrived at the charming village in Switzerland. For the whole day the air was filled with laughter and excited welcomes – new members were introduced and old friends were hugged.

A beautiful campsite next to a river is going to be our home for the upcoming week. We enjoyed our first dinner together in the group tent and afterwards gathered around an open fire. Here we started discussing about Pangaea, future projects and our visions.

We are full of enthusiasm and eager to exchange our ideas and thoughts. Our goal is to work out new strategies for ACT projects, also we hope to find as much time as possible to talk about new, original ideas that will help the Pangaea program to develop even further. We will keep you updated on this blog. Please follow us here and don't forget to tell your friends! We send a warm hug to all our fellow Young Explorers and supporters!

– The Reunion YEPs

Valentin Dorsaz joins the 9th Selection Camp in Switzerland and competes for his place in the YEP Expedition to Northern Canada in August 2011.

3rd of July 2011

Mike, Tristan and Jacek sail Pangaea into the beautiful harbour of Kodiak, Kodiak Island, Alaska.

"Alaska at long last! The customs and immigration officers have been very helpful and friendly. Pangaea is all legal to sail up north now. We moored at Misty Fjords air base. David came by with his seaplane as we sailed in and gave us a spectacular 'fly by' only a couple of meters from the water and Pangaea. He called us on the radio and offered us a place to tie up. Northern hospitality is always a pleasure to return to!" Mike

In July 2011, Pangaea Ambassador, Saraya D'ATH, entered Mike Horn's Arktos documentary at the New Zealand Mountain Film Festival (NZMFF), and the feature received the 'Special Jury Award' and will be shown during the festival as a Premiere in New Zealand.

Blog written by: Saraya D’Ath

Every year in early July a small town in Southern New Zealand, unites a group of active, adventurous outdoor enthusiasts from all over the World to watch, listen and share stories of adventures.
The New Zealand Mountain Film Festival (NZMFF) is held in Wanaka from the 1st to the 5th of July each year. It is a run at the Lake Wanaka Community Centre and offers a wide variety of interests and activities of all ages and genders.

Each day a series of films are shown from rock climbing in the Chad desert to summiting Mount Everest or even walking around the Arctic Circle at 70 degrees North. Mainly the films are shot by professional directors however there is a short-film competition giving people the chance to enter a film that could possibly be shown at the festival, the overall winner receives $1000 dollars. Also available at the NZMFF is rock climbing workshops, avalanche seminars, outdoor filming courses, musical entertainment and a art exhibition for little or no cost. Season passes gives you access to every session throughout the 5 days for $85 NZ dollars or you can purchase individual sessions for $20 NZ dollars, the day starts at around 11am and finishes around 11pm.

This year we timed our trip to New Zealand at the same time as the 9th New Zealand Mountain Film Festival in Wanaka. It was the perfect opportunity to open the Pangaea Young Explorers World to this whole other audience that is enthusiastic about outdoor adventures. A quick email to the director- Mark Sedon and his wife Jo and I was in! we arranged for me to set up a Young Explorers display table, I entered a canvas print from the Kamchatka expedition in the Art Exhibition and every year people from all around the World enter outdoor adventure films and then the organisers select a certain number of the films to show at the festival… another great opportunity to get Mike Horn’s name out there in the New Zealand so I entered Arktos a few weeks later I received an email saying that Arktos was successful and will be shown at the festival it also received a “jury award” which was all very exciting.

The stall was a great success throughout the 5 days, I interacted with so many amazing people, some people would browse pass and take a brochure or two and then others I could talk to all day! many people loved looking through the photo books as it gave them more of a personal understanding of the experiences. In the art exhibition where the canvas was, many people were keen to learn about this photograph and the mysterious place called Kamchatka, so thank you very much to Dima (Dmitri Sharomov) for taking all these wonderful pictures that enable us to share so many experiences.

Petzl is one of the sponsors for the NZMFF and on the first evening there was a lucky door prize and the prize was a bag full of petzl gear! That night I was wearing my orange petzl beanie. Coincidently mine and my Mums tickets were drawn out of the box. So a big thank you to petzl both at the NZMFF and the Mike Horn Project.

Thank you Mark and Jo Sedon for making this festival such a great success year after year.

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Arktos: The Internal Journey of Mike Horn

Session #5 on Sunday July 3, 2011 at 11am

85 minutes, Switzerland, 2005 – Directed by Raphael Blanc – New Zealand Premier – Subtitles.

Arktos is the amazing story of Mike Horn who has gone along the Arctic Circle alone for 27 months, 20,000 km, without using any motorized transportation. He has faced ice storms, temperatures down to -50°C, polar bears, a fire that destroyed most of his equipment and nearly burned him alive and he was the first man to cross entire Siberia on foot. But first of all, Arktos is a human tale. He met Simon the Inuit who taught him to build an igloo in 20 minutes, Vassia, an elderly Russian fisher and so many others. After all, Mike met himself. The film shows with the poetry of the images the motivations of one of the greatest adventurer of the century.

New Zealand Mountain Film Festival in Wanaka

July 1 – 5, 2011

How about kick starting the ski season with a week in Wanaka at the 9th NZ Mountain Film Festival? The festival has an almost cult following with a mixture of armchair and actual adventurers attending the five day event and this year there is thought to be a world first, an Adventure Film Editing Competition. The Festival Director Mark Sedon, supported by Lake Wanaka Tourism, invented the new competition. “We have filmed a carbon free adventure” says Sedon, “and we’ll give the footage to film makers from NZ and around the world so they can make a three minute film”. 

Sedon and Wanaka cameraman, Simon Rasmussen rode their mountain bikes from Lake Hawea township in Central Otago to Breast Hill (1578m), climbed up a steep ridge, then Sedon flew off on his paraglider. “The US$1000 first prize is sure to attract a lot of budding film makers” says Sedon. Entries to the free competition open June 1, the film editing starts June 10 until 17 and the 10 best films will be screened online and during the festival. “Its really going to show case the stunning scenery of the Wanaka/Hawea area” says Sedon, “plus highlight the fantastic adventure activities that the region naturally attracts”. Competitors can either come to Wanaka for the week, or download the footage online and compete from anywhere on earth. 

The festival also hosts NZ’s only International Adventure Film Makers Competition which is well under way with over 20 films received and another 100 expected before the May 30th deadline. Sedon is keen to see more films from New Zealand film makers and it doesn’t matter if it’s your first film, or you have made many, there is over $2000 up for grabs and $1000 of this is for the best NZ made film gaining the prestigious Hiddleston/MacQueen Award. To be eligible for the award, it must be filmed in NZ, or by a New Zealander, but the adventure can be anywhere. “Films around 10-15 minutes in length do the best” says Sedon, “better to have the viewers wanting more, than to wish it was over and the theme, Adventurous Sports and Lifestyles, is pretty broad so it should suit NZ’s wider outdoor community”. 

Speakers have been confirmed with world renowned adventurer, film maker and writer Greg Child as this year’s keynote speaker. US based Child is considered an especially literate mountaineering storyteller and he was honored with the American Alpine Club's Literary Award for his prolific and insightful mountaineering literature. His book Postcards From the Ledge took home the Banff Mountain Festival Book Award in 1997 and he also won an Emmy for his video Hitting the Wall in 1998. Accompanying Child is Debbie Chambers, one of NZ's most accomplished adventure racers, Lake Hawea climber Lydia Bradey, arguably one of our festival's most entertaining adventure speakers and the first woman to climb Everest without supplementary oxygen. Snow sports photographer and adventurer Steve Eastwood and Kiwi hard man, Steve Gurney will also give presentations.

The festival runs July 1 to 5 in Wanaka and features 40-50 of the best adventure films with several world and NZ premiers. The Festival’s world record ‘Dyno’ attempt will be entertaining with young climbers hanging onto small holds on an overhanging wall, then leaping blindly upwards for over two metres to another hold. Don’t worry though, there are large gym pads below for when they miss. There are workshops, art displays, live music, adventure trade show and lots of general socialising. Watch the web page for updates or sign up for the newsletter at www.mountainfilm.net.nz. 

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After an incredible week discovering Nature in the Queen Charlotte Islands, Mike Horn and crew sail Pangaea into the sleepy village of Prince Rupert, Canada. Here they wait one day for crew member Tristan arrive, after retreiving his new passport from the US embassy in Vancouver. Once crew and papers are ready and the boat is in tip top condition the team can start their journey north to Alaska.

Exciting times lie ahead with new images and emotions promising to amaze all those on board.

8 Young explorers selected to join Mike in Nunavut !

Zuzanna Lukasik, 17yrs, Poland / Mikhayla Bader, 17yrs, South Africa / Valentin Dorsaz, 15yrs, Switzerland / Henko Roukema, 18yrs, South Africa / Xue Xi, 20yrs, China / Simon Zuberbühler, 18yrs, Switzerland / Ricarda Schenker, 17yrs, Germany / Ansgar Fellendorf, 18yrs, Austria

By Mikayla

I am glad that I did no was not the one who had to choose the 8 Young Explorers who will travel with Mike to Nunavut as it must have been an extremely difficult decision to make. However the past 10 days have accurately challenged us physically, mentally and emotionally and therefore revealing who we truly are in ways we perhaps did not even know ourselves. What I found very interesting was how different people react when they are pushed to their limits and how they react to others who have reached theirs.

The moment of truth arrived and we sat in the common area waiting to hear the results, all of us staring at Martin and reflecting on everything we have done over the past 10 days. As each name is called everyone cheers politely, happy for our team mate but also thinking “that’s one less spot.” Finally the 8 were announced and of course there was the contrast between elation and disappointment. And then because we have become such a close knit family, the two emotions mixed and elation was dampened by sadness for our team mates and the disappointment was lifted with excitement for us.

Personally, I am over the moon with the decision of the 8 Young Explorers who will travel to Nunavut and I believe it is a diverse, strong, motivated and fun group of people that I look forward to sharing a once in a life time experience with. I am confident that the ones who were not selected will continue to work with the Pangaea Project and I hope that they understand that their skills and strengths will be needed in another
project soon.

We will all continue to work together, uniting the corners of the world and spreading the Pangaea Message.

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