- Land Rover supports research expedition exploring the origins and development of No Man’s Lands and uncovering their impacts on modern day society
- Highly capable Discovery Sport will carry the team and equipment for 6000 miles across 19 countries, tackling a variety of tough terrain whilst providing a base for recording research
- Research findings from the expedition will be used to develop educational materials for secondary level geography students in the UK
Dubai, 9th September 2015 – Land Rover is supporting a Royal Geographical Society expedition (with the Institute of British Geographers) which will investigate the geographical and political effects of No Man’s Lands on modern day society, while charting their origins and development throughout history.
The No Man’s Land expedition team, led by Dr Alasdair Pinkerton, of Royal Holloway University of London and Dr Noam Leshem of Durham University depart on 12 September, travelling from the hamlet of Nomansland in Devon, England, to Bir Tawil, a disputed territory on the Egypt-Sudan border, often described as ‘the last truly unclaimed place on earth’.
The six-week research expedition is funded through a Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) Thesiger-Oman Fellowship and supported by Land Rover with the loan of a Discovery Sport. With an aim to build on the current research and understanding of No Man’s Lands throughout history, its research findings will also be used to develop educational materials for secondary level geography students in the UK (aged 15+).
‘No Man’s Lands’ have existed within the English language for over 1000 years to describe pieces of un-owned or abandoned land, the cracks between uncertain international borders, or the disputed ground between opposing militaries. Whilst many associate the term with war or think that No Man’s Lands are a thing of the past, Dr Pinkerton and Dr Leshem will use academic fieldwork to link together multiple No Man’s Lands through the expedition, while documenting the lives of those still affected by these challenging spaces.
A Discovery Sport support vehicle will play a crucial role in the expedition. The highly capable and versatile premium compact SUV will be essential in negotiating the challenging route across 19 countries. Its class-leading all-terrain credentials will be put to the test as it transports the team and their equipment across epic landscapes in extreme conditions, covering thousands of miles of varied, inhospitable terrain.
Alasdair Pinkerton, expedition co-leader said: “This is an extraordinarily ambitious project that goes way beyond standard academic research – 6000 miles, 19 countries, a demilitarised Buffer Zone and the world’s last truly unclaimed territory, all in little under six weeks. The support and expeditionary expertise of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) has been absolutely crucial in the formulation of the expedition, while the training and the Discovery Sport provided by Land Rover will allow us to negotiate some of the most challenging environments and terrains anywhere in Europe and North Africa.”
Mark Cameron, Jaguar Land Rover Global Experiential Marketing Director said: “Land Rover is proud to be supporting this ambitious expedition. Our long-standing relationship with the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) stems from our shared desire to explore and go beyond; this project exemplifies this aspiration, by travelling to some of the most inaccessible areas across Europe and the Middle-East.”