The renowned actor, comedian, writer and director was honoured at a ceremony in London, England
Many titles can be applied to Stephen Fry, actor, writer, conservationist, humorist, public intellectual. Now he can add Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society to the long list.
The distinguished thespian was presented with the RCGS’s Lawrence J Burpee Medal, and an Honorary Fellowship at a reception Tuesday held at Canada House in London.
The medal recognizes an outstanding contribution made by an individual that greatly enhances the ability of the RCGS to fulfill its mission of making Canada better known to Canadians and to the world, and also contributes to the general advancement of geography.
Fry was touched by the honour, saying he has fond memories of travelling to Canada to film documentaries, recalling trips to the Arctic, paddling with Inuit guides, getting to know the country as a child through a favourite aunt who moved to Canada from Great Britain and learning about the vastness of the country.
“Geography is perhaps the most exciting subject that anybody can study,” said Fry. “It is the story of our world, the world of Gaia, the origin. Gaia, the Greek Goddess of Mother Earth and all things that rise up from it. The geology of it, the human geography from it, and the wildernesses and what we do to the wildernesses and what they do to us.”
In presenting the medal, RCGS CEO John Geiger also noted that Fry has taken up the mantle of host of Jeopardy! UK, and so is an inheritor of the role invented by former Society Honorary President Alex Trebek.
Stephen Fry generously donated his time and his voice to the launch of the Trebek Initiative, a granting program jointly established by the National Geographic Society and the RCGS — supported by generous donor-members of the Trebek Council — that awards significant funds to individuals or teams embarking on ambitious expeditions and research projects that ignite a passion for Canada.
Over the past three years 38 grants have been awarded to some of the most exciting research projects in Canada.
The reception was attended by High Commissioner Hon. Ralph Goodale, who opened the proceedings saying the RCGS’ ties to Great Britain are impressive, and that Fry was joining a community of 1,300 Fellows including author Margaret Atwood, astronaut Roberta Bondar, nearly every Canadian Prime Minister and prominent Britons including the Princess Royal, Sir David Attenborough, Broadcaster and Historian Dan Snow, and Sir Michael Palin.
“The RCGS community is united in its spirit of discovery, and adventure and has grown to become one of Canada’s longest standing educational charities. Canadian Geographic is now the country’s #1 paid magazine and its educational programs reach hundreds of thousands of young people through giant floor maps and lesson plans that help them understand the human and physical geography of the country,” said Goodale.
Attending were Society Fellows including Hon. Alexandra Shackleton, former Society Vice President Dr. Wendy Cecil, Prof. Joe Smith, current Director of the Royal Geographical Society, and former RGS Director John Hemming, himself a legendary explorer whose exploits, including the 1961 Iriri River Expedition, have been widely documented.
Other Fellows attending include Fram Museum Director Geir O. Kløver, David Mearns, Gregory and Pamela Copley, Martin Brooks, historian and author Rafe Heydel-Mankoo, and polar historian Dr Claire Warrior, who is a curator at the National Maritime Museum.
Geiger concluded by saying Fry “recognizes that Geography has the power of uniting us, in the wonder and appreciation of the beauty of nature, and the glorious diversity of human geography, thank you Stephen for all that you have done for the RCGS, for Canada, and for our world.”
