Mark Jenkins’ “World to Wyoming Series” returns for its ninth year, kicking off tonight, the writer and photographer will be showcasing his latest trip to Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.
Jenkins’ presentation entitled “Camels, Climbing and St. Catherine: An Expedition to Egypt” begins at 7:00 p.m. in the Arts & Sciences Auditorium.
As a Laramie native and UW alum, Jenkins is revered for his work as a writer and photographer covering adventure and geopolitics for National Geographic. He is also the writer-in-residence for the UW.
His recent expedition to Egypt was inspired by talk of massive granite walls deep in the Egyptian desert. A friend of Jenkins showed him pictures of what climbing in the South Sinai had to offer, and a week or so later, Jenkins and three other friends were off to Egypt for a month of climbing.
“Only in a state like Wyoming can you can call up three buddies and say, ‘Hey. Expedition Egypt. Next week. Let’s go.’ And they all say, ‘I’m in,’” Jenkins said.
In their time in the Sinai, the group lived with the nomadic Bedouins and accomplished their goal of completing a first ascent of a new route on Sheep Mountain (Jebel Naja in Arabic). While climbing may have been the driving force behind the trip, it is by no means the sole topic of Jenkins’ lecture series.
Jenkins’ often times talks political and social issues of the regions he visits. Last year in his presentation on his climbing trip to Tibet, Jenkins highlighted the plight of the Tibetan people and their contentious relationship with China. This season, Jenkins hopes to dispel negative stereotypes cast upon Middle Easterners.
“There are many places in the Middle East that are [an] oasis of peace and harmony where people are quietly coexisting,” Jenkins said.
By questioning common perceptions of our world’s cultures, Jenkins aims to raise questions about how we view ourselves in a global context.
“What are the myths that we live by, and what are the myths that they [Bedouins] live by, and where do they meet?” Jenkins said.
Finding out where myths meet requires looking at the world through a different lens. A lens that, according to Jenkins, can only be refined by international travel. An outspoken advocate for adventure and travel, Jenkins uses his platform as an award-winning writer to deliver a public service announcement to encourage his audience to see the world.
The “World to Wyoming Series” is sponsored by the UW Center for Global Studies along with academic affairs, Wyoming Humanities Council and the Rocky Mountain Power Foundation.
The series was started nearly a decade ago by then director of international studies, Dr. Jean Garrison to bring international issues to community colleges across the state. Now the director for UW CGS, Dr. Garrison and the department continue to sponsor Jenkins’ talks.
“Wyoming is part of the national and international debates and this series shows our commitment to bring this to the state,” Dr. Garrison said. “I encourage students to come and see one of the best storytellers that we have at UW. Mark Jenkins is a real ‘Wyoming Gem.’”
The tour heads to northern Wyoming this spring and then to the southern portion of the state later this fall.
“It’s an honor to share what I’ve experienced and bring it to Wyoming,” Jenkins said. “And it gives us all an opportunity to discuss other cultures and reflect upon our own.”
