Anthropologists David Holmberg , Kathryn March win 2021 Hillary Medal
Travel Biz News —
Mountain Legacy International has decided to honour prominent anthropologists David Holmberg and Kathryn March for their outstanding contribution in the conservation of nature and equitable advancement of human welfare in mountainous regions.
Dr.Holmberg and Dr. March will receive the 2021 Sir Edmund Hillary Mountain Legacy Medal for their many decades of friendship and assistance to Nepal, and their leadership in educational exchange programs between Tribhuvan University and Cornell University.
The Hillary Medal recognizes Sir Edmund’s life-long commitment to the welfare of mountain people and their environment and also encourages the continuing emulation of his example.
Dr. Kumar Mainali, Geospatial Data Scientist at the Chesapeake Conservancy and President of Mountain Legacy International , announced the selection of the couple for this honour.
“Professors Holmberg and March have carried out field work among the Tamang of Nepal for more than forty years, documenting and preserving customs and beliefs that are under pressure, and even re-introducing folk music that was no longer in circulation. They built a collaboration between Cornell and Tribhuvan University that became one of the most important vehicles for research and academic exchange in Nepal and also provided mentorship in economic initiatives, particularly ecotourism focused on Phyukhri Ridge. In the wake of the 2015 earthquakes, they were effective fundraisers for recovery efforts. Their achievements on behalf of highland communities of Nepal, and of the country itself, are truly exemplary.”
Dr. Holmberg and Dr. March will be honored with the Sir Edmund Hillary Mountain Legacy Medal, jointly at a public event in Ithaca NY (USA) on 11 December 2021.
The winners of the first Hillary Medal 2003 were Michael Schmitz and Helen Cawley, a couple involved in cultural and ecological projects in the Solu-Khumbu district of Nepal.
The Sir Edmund Hillary Mountain Legacy Medal, personally authorized by Sir Edmund in 2002, was first presented at the Tengboche observance of the 50th anniversary of Sir John Hunt’s 1953 British Everest Expedition.
17 Sept. 2021
