The New Zealand Antarctic Medal was created 1 September 2006, as a
New Zealand royal honour to replace the British
Polar Medal
The Polar Medal is a medal awarded by the Sovereign of the United Kingdom to individuals who have outstanding achievements in the field of polar research, and particularly for those who have worked over extended periods in harsh climates. It ...
.
History
The Polar Medal was instituted in 1904 and awarded to those who had made notable contributions to the exploration and knowledge of
polar regions
The polar regions, also called the frigid zones or polar zones, of Earth are the regions of the planet that surround its geographical poles (the North and South Poles), lying within the polar circles. These high latitudes are dominated by floa ...
and who, in doing so, had undergone the hazards and rigors imposed by the polar environment to life and movement, whether by land, sea or air.
In 1995, the Prime Minister’s Honours Advisory Committee recommended that the Polar Medal should be created under a New Zealand royal warrant. It also recommended that it should be renamed as “The Antarctic Medal” to reflect the fact that it is in relation to
Antarctica
Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest cont ...
that New Zealand’s endeavors and achievements have been made. The New Zealand Antarctic Medal was formally instituted by
Queen Elizabeth II on 1 September 2006.
Eligibility
The New Zealand Antarctic Medal may be awarded to those New Zealanders and other persons who either individually or as members of a New Zealand mission in the
Antarctic region have made an outstanding contribution to exploration, scientific research, conservation, environmental protection, or knowledge of the Antarctic region; or in support of New Zealand’s objectives or operations, or both, in the Antarctic region. The Medal will not be awarded for acts of bravery, for short-term acts of extreme endurance, for long service or for service in Antarctica generally.
Recipients
, 17 awards and one honorary award have been issued.
All recipients are entitled to the post-nominal letters ''NZAM''.
See also
*
New Zealand Honours System
*
Polar Medal
The Polar Medal is a medal awarded by the Sovereign of the United Kingdom to individuals who have outstanding achievements in the field of polar research, and particularly for those who have worked over extended periods in harsh climates. It ...
Notes
References
Beehive New Zealand Antarctic Medal{{Orders, decorations, and medals of New Zealand
Civil awards and decorations of New Zealand
New Zealand and the Antarctic