|
THE EXPLORERS CLUB
INAUGURATES TANZANIA CHAPTER
FIRST EVER IN AFRICA
 Richard
C. Wiese, President, The Explorers Club, New York
City, announced that the organizations' first ever chapter
in Africa was inaugurated January 25, 2006, in Arusha,
Tanzania. Peter Mwenguo, Managing Director, Tanzania Tourist
Board was present in Arusha for the Ceremony.
Wiese said "We offer
our deepest thanks to Dan Bennett MN'02 for his great
support in making the Tanzania Chapter, our first on
the African continent, a reality." The chairman of the
chapter is Jonas Rutta. Currently there are 17
guides are members.
When Wiese was asked why
Tanzania for the first chapter, he replied "There are many
reasons for Tanzania some personal others more obvious.
Obviously Tanzania is important for its vast wildlife
reserves and its
commitment to
conversation. The cradle of civilization is in Tanzania.
Geneticists have proven that we are all Tanzanian in
origin.Tanzania is important to me personally because it is
really were I got my
start in exploration. In
1971 when I was a young boy my father took me to climb
Kilimanjaro. I have climbed the mountain 8 times since and
have a profound admiration for the guides who work there on
a daily basis. I felt
if the idea of this
chapter were to be successful it had to be run by local
indigenous persons. I am very lucky to have struck a
friendship with one of the local guides Jonas Rutta. He is
sincerely dedicated and derives much
satisfaction from showing
off what he calls his office."
"We are most honored,"
said Mwenguo, "that the prestigious Explorers Club has
selected Tanzania for its first chapter in
Africa. We know that many Explorers Club members have
climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, some like Richard Wiese, more than
once. We hope that this will encourage more adventure
travelers to come and explore the many World Heritage
Site in Tanzania, which in addition to the famous Mt.
Kilimanjaro National Park, include the
Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater and Olduvai Gorge, the
Selous Game Reserve, Stone Town (Zanzibar), and
the ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Songo
Mnara."
|
