European Polar Summit

The International Polar Foundation attended the European Polar Summit 2009 held on the 24th of June at the International Auditorium in Brussels and organised by the European Polar Board. During this meeting a Memorandum of Understanding for a "European Polar Framework" was signed closing the EUROPOLAR ERA-NET project.

The EUROPOLAR ERA-NET is a project funded by the European Commission, bringing together 27 Funding Organisations from 19 countries.

During this conference, the survey results of this European project were presented with regards to:

• European Arctic and Antarctic research stations (including the recently inaugurated Princess Elisabeth Station)
• Research vessels and planes
• National research programs conducted in the Polar Regions

Presentations were also made of the BOREAS project (Histories from the North - environments, movements, narratives) and of the Aurora Borealis project.

The movie "Beyond the Poles", which was directed and produced by the International Polar Foundation for the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), was also shown to highlight the scientific efforts undertaken during the 4th International Polar Year (2007-2008).