Cape Farewell launches first climate change youth expedition to the High Arctic

Launch: From 4pm, Sunday 9 September 2007, Southbank Centre, London Expedition: 14-23 September 2007

In September, Cape Farewell launches its first international youth expedition, voyaging north of the 79th parallel to the fragile extremes of Svalbard in the High Arctic with twelve students from Germany, Canada and the UK to investigate and raise awareness of the impacts of climate change. In a landmark arts, science and media project the young people will work alongside artist Dan Harvey, Professor Mark Maslin of University College London's Environment Institute and others to develop scientific and creative projects.

The students will live, work and help sail the 100-year old sailing schooner The Noorderlicht, working on subjects such as changing weather patterns and retreating glaciers. Youth expedition leaders, teacher and filmmaker Colin Izod and science teacher and choreographer Suba Subramanian, together with onboard artists, scientists and educators will mentor and support the development of the projects. Daily video reports, blogs, webcams and message boards will be sent live from the boat to voyage.capefarewell.com and screens at Southbank Centre in London. The projects that the young people develop, both at sea and with their schools, will become an international educational resource.

The expedition launch - at Southbank Centre on Sunday 9 September - is a festive event hosted by comedian Marcus Brigstocke in the Royal Festival Hall with a special maritime send off for the students down the Thames. It also marks the departure in October of Cape Farewell's fourth art and science expedition. Musicians, singers, the Cape Farewell youth team and artists past and present, including Vikram Seth, Marcus Brigstocke, Beth Derbyshire, William Hunt, Dan Harvey & Heather Ackroyd and Max Eastley join with David Buckland, founder and director of Cape Farewell, Jude Kelly, Artistic Director of Southbank Centre and Professor Mark Maslin to celebrate the imminent voyages. The day is part of Southbank Centre's environment weekend Saving Paradise, beginning on Saturday 8 September with Paco Pena's Requiem For the Earth and Gamelan Wayang, an all-night session of traditional Javanese storytelling, shadow puppetry and music.

When the youth expedition returns, Cape Farewell's art and science voyage