2004-10-19
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VOICE ONE:
This is Steve Ember.
VOICE TWO:
And this is Faith Lapidus with EXPLORATIONS in VOA Special
English. Today we tell about the National Geographic Society and its
international programs.
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VOICE ONE:
Books. Movies. Magazines. Maps.
Television programs. Internet sites. Trips for travelers. Continuing
support for research and exploration around the world. These are all
ways an American organization, the National Geographic Society, is
trying to increase its worldwide reach.
The National Geographic Society began in the United States more
than a century ago with thirty-three members. Today it has more than
nine million members worldwide. It is the largest non-profit
scientific and educational organization in the world. It has taught
millions of people about the world they live in, the deep oceans and
outer space.
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In eighteen eighty-eight, thirty-three men gathered at a social
club in Washington, D.C. They were scientists, explorers, military
officers and teachers. Most of them had traveled many places. They
were excited about new discoveries. They believed in the importance
of geography – the study of the Earth and its resources.
The men believed travel helps people understand their world and
other cultures. So they decided to create an organization for people
interested in knowing more about the world. They named it the
National Geographic Society.
Nine months later they published their first effort to
communicate with members. It was the official record of the society.
It contained factual, scientific reports.
VOICE ONE:
Gilbert H. Grosvenor (GROVE-nor)
became the editor of the magazine in nineteen-oh-three. He remained
with the magazine for fifty-five years. He wanted to increase the
Society's membership by presenting "the living, breathing
human-interest truth about this great world of ours." He wanted the
magazine to offer simple, clear writing describing the personal
experience of explorers and photographs of what they saw.
The magazine continues to offer writing that describes the
personal experiences of explorers and adventurers. It has become
famous for its memorable photographs from around the world. It is a
record of what is happening to cultures, nature, science and
technology.
Today about forty million people read the National Geographic
magazine every month. It is published in twenty-five languages
including Japanese, Korean, Greek, Chinese, Turkish and Russian.
Eight years ago, only twenty percent of the National Geographic
readers lived outside the United States. Now, more than forty
percent of the readers live outside the United States.
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VOICE TWO:
During the last century, the National Geographic Society expanded
in many different areas. It now publishes four other magazines,
including one especially for children. It publishes about eighty
books a year for adults and children, a total of more than
two-thousand books in thirty-two languages.
The National Geographic also produces videos and movies. It has
an Internet Web site, nationalgeographic.com. And it has twenty
local Web sites, including ones in India, Brazil, Japan, Romania and
Latin America.
National Geographic Channels International broadcasts television
programs in twenty-six languages. People in about one hundred fifty
countries can see them. One recent program followed the steps of
early explorer Marco Polo in China. Another went to the middle of a
tornado to see nature at its worst.
The main goal of the National Geographic Society still is to
support research and exploration throughout the world. The Committee
for Research and Exploration has paid for more than seven thousand
scientific research and exploration projects in about one hundred
eighty countries. Forty percent of the grants have been given to
explorers and scientists outside the United States. Recently, the
Society has increased its international reach through new programs
for younger explorers and for filmmakers.
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VOICE ONE:
In nineteen ninety-eight, the National Geographic created the
Expeditions Council. The Council awards grants for explorations in
unrecorded or little known areas of the world. Rebecca Martin is
executive director of the Expeditions Council. She says it is
seeking projects that may not be scientific but will provide
exciting stories in words and pictures about the world we live in.
In the year two thousand, the Society began a program to honor
and give financial support to experienced explorers. There are eight
Explorers-in-Residence now. They share what they learn with the
public through National Geographic Society books, magazines,
television programs, and talks.
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Underwater explorer Robert Ballard is one of the
Explorers-in-Residence. He returned this year to the Atlantic Ocean
to examine the famous sunken passenger ship, the Titanic, nineteen
years after he discovered it. He found that other divers are
damaging the ship when they land on it and remove objects. His new
examination of the Titanic led to a National Geographic book, a
magazine report and two television programs.
The newest Explorers-in Residence are Meave and Louise Leakey who
are mother and daughter. They are paleontologists who have made
important discoveries of early human ancestors and prehistoric
mammals in Africa.
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VOICE ONE:
Last month, the Society announced a new program for younger
explorers. Barbara Moffett is a spokeswoman for the National
Geographic Society. She says the Emerging Explorers program is
designed to help younger people who are adding to world knowledge.
Up to ten people will be chosen each year. Each one will receive
an award of ten thousand dollars to help with his or her research
and explorations. The program is open to explorers, scientists,
photographers and storytellers who are not yet known for their work.
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Nine people are in the first group of Emerging Explorers. One of
them is Tierney Thys (tees) who works for a movie company in
California. She has spent four years traveling the oceans of the
world. She is studying a giant sunfish named the mola. It can weigh
more than two hundred twenty-five kilograms. Zeray (ze-RYE)
Alemseged is an anthropology researcher in Leipzig, Germany. He is
leading a scientific dig in Ethiopia's Afar area. His team is
discovering important information about the four million year
history of human development.
Photographer Jimmy Chin is another
Emerging Explorer. He is climbing some of the highest mountains in
the world to take pictures of places most people will never see.
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VOICE ONE:
Earlier this year, the National Geographic launched the All Roads
Film project. Its goal is to provide support to filmmakers who are
members of a native group or minority culture.
The All Roads Film project will provide grant money to produce
films or videos. Experienced filmmakers will offer training and
advice. The project will provide public showings of some of the best
movies made by independent filmmakers who have difficulty getting
their work shown.
This month, movies made in sixteen countries will be shown at two
All Roads Film Festivals in Los Angeles, California, and Washington,
D.C. A group of movie industry advisors chose the winners from more
than five-hundred entered in the competition.
Members of the native Maoris of Australia made one of the movies.
It is about a group of Maori soldiers in World War Two. Another
movie, made in Thailand, looks at a Buddhist's feelings about
terrorism. An Iranian actress directed a movie that shows Iranian
women and what they think.
VOICE TWO:
The National Geographic Society has become increasingly concerned
about the need to protect the Earth's natural resources. It also
believes that young people must better understand the world if they
are to become its future leaders.
And, the Society needs to provide exciting stories for its
television programs and magazines that are produced in many areas of
the world.
So, Rebecca Martin says, the National Geographic is always
looking for younger explorers whose exciting projects will help
people understand their world.
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VOICE ONE:
This program was written by Marilyn Christiano and produced by
Mario Ritter. This is Steve Ember.
VOICE TWO:
And this is Faith Lapidus. Join us again next week for
EXPLORATIONS in VOA Special English.