Gold Medal

The Gold Medal of the Society was first bestowed in 1972 to honour the International Geographical Union (IGU) for choosing Canada as the venue of its 22nd International Congress, and to recognize the achievements of the IGU President.

That award clearly illustrates the purpose for which the Gold Medal was created: to provide an opportunity for the Society to recognize:

(a) a particular achievement by one or more individuals in the general field of geography; or

(b) a significant national or international event.

In the case of (b), the Medal is awarded to an appropriate individual or group of individuals representative of the occasion. Normally, the special achievements or events for which the medal is awarded are well known. No regular interval (annual, biannual, etc.) is established for the awarding of the Gold Medal. It is presented whenever the Society's Board of Governors decides its bestowal is appropriate to recognize a particular achievement or event.

The time, place and program of the ceremony to present the Gold Medal is decided by the Board of Governors after careful consideration of the circumstances surrounding the event or achievement for which the Medal is being awarded.

2009 GOLD MEDAL RECIPIENT Wade Davis Shortly before he embarked on his first journey to the Amazon as a restless 20-year-old Harvard University student in 1974, Wade Davis wrote in his journal, “Risk discomfort and uncertainty for understanding.” Those words proved to be prophetic. Throughout his career as an anthropologist and ethno-botanist, Davis has often risked uncertainty — and sometimes even his life — in his quest to learn about the world’s indigenous cultures and their traditional uses of medicinal and hallucinogenic plants. … Learn more »

NOMINATE SOMEONE How to nominate Please look outside your organization, as well as within, when considering who might be an outstanding nominee. Learn more »

LISTING OF RECIPIENTS