Scholar and Author Broughton Coburn to Present the 'Secrets of Shangri-la,' the Mystery of the Formerly Forbidden Tibetan Kingdom of Mustang
NEW LONDON, N.H. – Colby-Sawyer College will host a lecture by scholar and author Broughton Coburn about the formerly forbidden kingdom of Mustang, a pristine relic of Tibetan culture in the northern Himalayas. Coburn will discuss and display images of an expedition he led to these remote sites, where more than a 100 mysterious cave systems were discovered to house ancient societies.
Coburn's “Secrets of Shangri-la” presentation will take place on Monday, April 13, at 7 p.m. in Clements Hall at the Curtis L. Ivey Science Center. Admission is free and everyone is welcome to attend.
Coburn will discuss his most recent trip to the Himalayas, in which he worked with veteran climber Pete Athans and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Liesl Clark. Coburn's research and film expedition took place in August 2008 and was funded primarily by the National Geographic Society. He and his team found ancient human skeletons, abandoned ancient texts and an exquisite 14th-century mural depicting a lineage of mystical Buddhist yogis. His presentation will focus on who created these sacred and historic sites that date back to before the Buddhist era, as far back as 2000 B.C., and what is likely to happen to them. The film of the expedition is now being produced as a National Geographic television special to air on PBS in fall of 2009.
Coburn's thought-provoking, inspirational and entertaining illustrated presentations have received rave reviews across the country. “The lecture was magnificent...Not only is he a good speaker but his material is wonderful. Beautiful photography too,” says Joe Brenna, director of operations for the California Academy of Sciences. He added that the presentation “made me laugh and made me cry."
After graduating from Harvard College in 1973, Coburn went on to fulfill his destiny in the Himalayas, where he has worked for two decades. He has developed numerous documentary films and overseen environmental conservation and development efforts for the World Bank, UNESCO, World Wildlife Fund and other agencies.
Coburn is also well known for his work as an author. In 1997, he was awarded the American Alpine Club's Literary Achievement Award for his body of work. His third book, Everest: Mountain Without Mercy, (National Geographic Books) reached #17 on the New York Times Bestseller List and was selected as a “pick” for 1997 by Publisher's Weekly.
To learn more about Broughton Coburn, visit http://broughtoncoburn.com/secret-shangrila.htm. To learn more about other public events at Colby-Sawyer, visit www.colby-sawyer.edu/events.
-Michelle L. Buser '09
Michelle L. Buser is a Communications Studies major and an intern in College Communications at Colby-Sawyer College.
Colby-Sawyer, founded in 1837, is a comprehensive liberal arts college located in the scenic Lake Sunapee Region of central New Hampshire. Students learn in small classes through a select array of programs that integrate the liberal arts and sciences with pre-professional experience. Visit us on the World Wide Web at www.colby-sawyer.edu.
Colby-Sawyer College, 541 Main Street, New London, N.H. 03257 (603) 526-3000
