Leon McCarron – 130th Explorer of the Year

Congratulations to LeonMcCarron …the #GeoSocietyPhila recipient of the special Cecilia Beaux pin which has previously been awarded to explorers such as #RobertPeary, #TheodoreRoosevelt, #NeilArmstrong, #DianaNyad, and #DerrickPitts – to name just a few. Each year since 1891, the Legacy Event honors individuals based on their work in exploring the world and promoting human understanding of diverse cultures. Leon received the award at #pennmuseum .. Harrison Auditorium followed by a reception at the #Egyptian Gallery.
Leon is an award-winning writer, broadcaster and explorer from Northern Ireland. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, the Abraham Path Initiative the Geographical Society of Philadelphia’s Explorer of the Year, and is known for long-distance expeditions and immersive multimedia storytelling. The New York Times Magazine profiled Leon and his work in April 2022. In the past decade he has travelled over 50,000km by human power, and is currently based in Iraq.