LookAtVietnam – Alongside Hoang Thi Minh Hong, the first Vietnamese to set foot on the South Pole, four other Vietnamese have now been chosen for the adventure in November.

Journalist Lan Anh, one of the six Vietnamese who will discover the South Pole this November.

On November 2, the 2041 Organisation, a South Pole protection organisation, released the names of four new members of the Vietnamese group who will participate in the adventure to the Antarctic in November 2009.

They are journalist Nguyen Lan Anh (Saigon Tiep Thi newspaper and Forbes Asia), Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy (Executive manager of the Australia International School – Saigon), Le Tuan (Chairman of VC Invest) and Nguyen Phuong Anh.

The sixth member may be named in the next few days.

“Vietnam is one of five countries that will be hit the most by climate change and this is encouraging evidence showing that Vietnam wishes to contribute to seek solutions for one of the biggest threats to the planet,” said Robert Swan, the founder of 2041.

The adventure will take place over two weeks on the Clipper Adventurer ship. During the trip, members will learn about the significance of the South Pole Convention, take part in a training course on sustainable development and leadership skills entitled “Leadership on the Edge”.

The South Pole has 14 million sq.km of ice, equivalent to 91 percent of the total volume of ice in the world and contains up to 70 percent of the world’s total fresh water.

If ice in the South Pole melts, coastal areas of Vietnam are directly affected.

Hoang Thi Minh Hong, the first Vietnamese to the South Pole.

The International South Pole Convention was signed in 1959 in the US by 12 countries. This convention’s Environmental Protection Protocol can be amended in 2041.

2041 organisation’s activities aim to promote awareness of the significance of the above convention and protect the effectiveness of the convention so that the South Pole will not be exploited by man forever.

This year’s adventure is held to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the International South Pole Convention and to encourage nations to respect the convention and to continue protecting the South Pole as a place for science and peace.

When explorers return home, they will become ambassadors to protect the South Pole.

“After returning to Vietnam from the adventure in 1997, I was alone in my efforts to bring the message to the Vietnamese people. This time I will go with a group of Vietnamese. With members from various fields, who have different experience and viewpoints, we can deliver this message to the wider population,” Minh Hong said.

However, Vietnamese candidates have to seek half of the funding for the trip, totaling $10,000, plus air ticket and equipment.

Vietnamese team will leave Vietnam on November 4 to Argentina and enter Clipper Adventure ship to South Pole on November 18.

VietNamNet/VNE