Darwin Sails Again: ‘on the Future of Species’

PLYMOUTH, England - In the wake of Charles Darwin, who sailed from Plymouth on the HMS Beagle, on 1 September his great-great-granddaughter Sarah Darwin will embark on the same trip. While Charles Darwin’s observations during his journey around the world led to his publication of the Origin of Species that changed the way we view the world, 150 years later Sarah Darwin will sail the entire voyage again “on the Future of Species”.

From the same port where her great-great-grandfather started his memorable voyage, biologist Sarah Darwin will embark on the Clipper Stad Amsterdam. The journey will focus especially on the changes the earth is going through. Is mankind destroying life on earth, or is that an overstatement?

Sarah will be joined by a film crew and a constantly changing international company of renowned scientists, writers, philosophers, artists and descendants of Charles Darwin. Among them Christopher Lloyd, Peter Ward, Michael Heckenberger, Spencer Wells, James Moore, Randal Keynes and Daniel Dennett. But also American actor John Malkovich, who will search for the changes in the mind of Charles Darwin. With these and many other guests, the producers of the Beagle project will examine the future of the species on earth.

Sarah Darwin’s departure is the beginning of an incredible 8-month trip around the world. Beagle, on the future of species is a European project of the Dutch and Flemish public broadcasting companies VPRO and Canvas. As Charles Darwin contemplated the origin of species on Earth, the producers and their guests on the Beagle project will address their future. This adventurous voyage can be followed on www.onthefutureofspecies.nl, 24/7.

The start of such an exhilarating expedition must not go by unnoticed, therefore a noteworthy event will take place. Many descendants of Charles Darwin, such as Randal Keynes and Emma Darwin, will, together with the Lord Mayor of Plymouth, Rear Admiral Ian Moncrieff and the national and international press, receive a chance to climb on board the Clipper and share their stories, before the ship sets sail. Subsequently, an Armada of boats, currently present at the harbour of Plymouth, will escort the ‘Clipper Stad Amsterdam’ to the open sea.

Source: VPRO Communicatie

Note to the editor: For further information, please contact VPRO, Liza Geurts, +31-35-6712188, Email: l.geurts at vpro.nl