MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Prize for Antarctic scientists

The Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research, SCAR, a non profit organization of scientists deeply concerned about Antarctica was honored with the much prized Spanish International Cooperation Príncipe de Asturias (equivalent to Prince of Wales) annual Award.

SCAR includes scientists from 32 countries involved in Antarctic research, the "only continent in the world non militarized, free of armed conflicts and environmentally clean", and where no money circulates.

According to the Príncipe de Asturias Foundation Awards Committee the Antarctic Treaty is one of the rare examples which merits world acknowledgment for its international cooperation. The Treaty currently has 45 members of which 32 are members of SCAR:

The 50,000 Euros and a Joan Miró reproduction were handed to SCAR vicepresident Chilean born José Valencia in Ovideo, Spain by the Prince of Asturias, heir of the Spanish Crown.

"Antarctica is the only continent where all men effectively are brothers, any need is satisfied with the non interested help from others, and in spite of the radical cuts in budget funds for our organizations, we all keep working", said Mr. Valencia.

"I hope that with this Prize the world will look towards these scientists who are only research motivated, that never have holidays, in winter they work in their own countries and in summer time they abandon their families and head for Antarctica".

The Foundation Awards Committee stresses that the Antarctic Treaty is based in "the indefinite freezing of all territorial claims, in the demilitarization of the continent, and in its exclusive dedication to sustained, responsible and entirely transparent scientific research".

This commitment to neutrality has enabled experts from different countries and disciplines to be involved in permanent research and in the "great surveillance outpost for current and future climate changes".