If you’ve ever been to a doctor’s clinic and found out there are several patients before you, what do you do? Why, catch up on all the latest gossip on social media, of course1 Back in the day, we were not as privileged. Mobile phones were not even a thing, and we had to do with the likes of magazines and newspapers in waiting rooms, to kill time.
If you’ve ever read a copy of National Geographic in a doctor’s waiting room, you’ve done more than ‘kill time’. There are good chances you might have been so engrossed in its pages, that you fail to even register the fact that the compounder is calling your name!
It should come as little surprise, then, that there is actually a ‘day’ dedicated to this most wonderful magazine! Yes, National Geographic Day is celebrated each year on the 27th January. Its observance, a rich tribute to a magazine more than 100 years old, and still going strong.
In this article we will attempt to uncover more National Geographic information. From National Geographic History to the famed documentary Life in a Day from The National Geographic stable, we have it all covered.
National Geographic: History
To know the history of National Geographic Day, is to take a walk along the hallowed corridors of National Geographic Magazine History.
The National Geographic Magazine found its origins in the creation of the National Geographic Society, in the year1888. It was in the same year that it set up what would later become the magazine we all know only too well.
The National Geographic Magazine, of course! The purpose of the National Geographic Society was in bringing Natural, Anthropological and other such information, to the American public.
Over the next 100 years, National Geographic Magazine, or ‘Nat Geo’ as it is popularly known, has regaled millions of readers across the globe. These readers range from little children who are ever curious about the world around them, to history buffs who want to cement their understanding of things like Fossils and also, The Big Bang!
What has made National Geographic endure the test of time, is the fact that its sole purpose lies in ‘tirelessly educating people.’ It is amply backed by an incredible team of explorers who travel to the four corners of the Earth to bring us the best information, and sufficiently funded by a non-profit organization.
Perhaps that is why it is all the more successful. After all, the spreading of knowledge should be ‘without a hidden agenda.’
The National Geographic Magazine was established as a scholarly journal, and now just look at the behemoth it has become! It is safe to say that this magazine will continue running strong for yet another 100 years!
National Geographic Day: The Significance
Now that we know more about National Geographic in general, it’s time to take a look at why we should be celebrating a day ‘devoted to a magazine.’
It is a Celebration of Exploration
You might well feel like the famed Christopher Columbus, when you’re skimming through the pages of a Nat Geo magazine! Indeed, it is a celebration of all the discoverers and scientists who have pushed the envelope, where it comes to shining a beacon of light on the world around us.
Interesting Fact: Talking about Exploration, National Geographic Magazine has given a whopping 15000-plus grants to Researchers. All so that they can find out more information, for the likes of me and you!
A Treasure Trove of Information
Indeed, all the information you need can be found at your fingertips, when browsing through a National Geographic magazine!
The best part about reading Nat Geo is, even the most complex information you are looking to learn is presented in a way that is easy to understand. What makes it even more special is, everything that is contained within its pages is ‘exciting’, as compared to the drab information that is commonly found in textbooks.
It bridges Cultures
What National Geographic does especially well, is link people from different cultures, in a refreshingly unique way.
If there is one thing that strikes you immediately when you are skimming through the pages of a Nat Geo magazine, it is the feeling of ‘global connectedness’. Whether it’s the magazines from the National Geographic stable or even those amazing Nat Geo documentaries we watch in bed at night, they help bridge the gap between different cultures, succinctly well.
It creates Awareness
If you could change something about the world, would you?
National Geographic Magazine does a rather stellar job of showcasing all the pertinent issues in our world today. Moreover, it presents us with tangible ideas for Change. Even contributing in a small way towards the betterment of our world, can make a difference.
Life in a Day: National Geographic
What happens when two big names, a.k.a. ‘National Geographic’ and ‘Ridley Scott’, come together? The result must surely be ‘magic’!
It was back in the year 2010, on the 24th of July specifically, that people were bestowed with a pleasant surprise from their favourite National Geographic. They were asked to shift the focus of their video cameras onto themselves, in an attempt to capture a moment in their lives.
This saw a staggering number of 80000 videos being collected from people across 190 countries, and submitted to YouTube. The end result? Around 4500 hours of video were taken, and compiled into a 95-minute video, by renowned directors Kevin MacDonald and Ridley Scott.
Needless to say, the result was a breathtakingly beautiful montage of the ‘human experience’. While the work was a result of some pretty sharp editing, it showed us all that even the simplest moments in our lives are endowed with a slice of magic!
We at EuroKids believe that it is important to join your children in celebrating National Geographic Day. After all, this beloved magazine has done so much over the last century or so, to showcase all the beauty in this wonderful planet we live on.
