For a plant genetic resource scientist, mecca is the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, which lies far within the Arctic Circle and far off the northernmost coast of Norway.

Nine scientists got the opportunity to visit their mecca thanks to the support of the Crop Trust BOLD Project. The project supported national genebanks to regenerate seed in their genebank so that they could safeguard them on the icy shelves of the Seed Vault.

I got to see the emotion of these scientists first hand when they visited the Seed Vault for the first time and when they handed their national heritage over to the Seed Vault’s custodian. Despite a biting Arctic blast which was blowing stinging snow, they all managed to show their elation in front of my camera.