About The Royal Canadian Geographical Society

College of Fellows Dinner 2009

Guest speaker Wade Davis. (Photo: David Barbour)

Birthday bash
More than 300 guests turned out to celebrate The Royal Canadian Geographical Society’s 80th anniversary at the College of Fellows Dinner held at Ottawa’s Château Laurier in November.

Anthropologist Wade Davis, the 2009 Gold Medal recipient and a newly elected Fellow, took the audience on a trip through the world’s cultures, from the mountains of Peru to the heart of the Sahara. Through stories and photographs gleaned from three decades of studying indigenous peoples, Davis stressed the importance of preserving cultural diversity. “Of 7,000 languages in the world, half are no longer being taught to children,” he says. “Half our legacy is slipping away in a generation.”

Kevin Nicholds (RIGHT), president of Dollco Printing, presents the dinner proceeds to RCGS President Gisèle Jacob. (Photo: David Barbour)

Ted Johnson receives the Camsell Medal from Lynne McGuffin, granddaughter of RCGS founder Charles Camsell. (Photo: David Barbour)

Graham Tompkins, Peter Brandt and Chris Chiavatti, who won the National Geographic World Championship last July, pose with Gisèle Jacob (left) and Beth Dye, chair of the Canadian Council for Geographic Education. (Photo: David Barbour)

New Fellow Aaju Peter of Iqaluit chats with former RCGS president Denis St-Onge and his wife Jeanne St-Onge. Peter performed a song of welcome in Inuktitut to open the evening. (Photo: David Barbour)

Canadian Geographic intern Jessica Sims admires the raffle prize, a print by A. J. Casson. (Photo: David Barbour)

Some of the 80 newly elected Fellows gather for a group shot.

Click here to view more photos taken at the dinner to download and print.