First, I should point out that this foundation is in the making. At this stage, it is simply a vehicle through which I plan to channel energies and resources - my own and those of like-minded people - into activities aimed at preserving, promoting and protecting traditional indigenous cultures throughout the Asia Pacific region.

As a photographer and author who travels Australia, Asia and the South Pacific widely, it has become evident to me that traditional cultures are disappearing at an alarming and rapid rate, and that much is being lost to future generations in the process. Globalisation continues to homogenise our world. Many ancient rituals are no longer being practiced, time-honoured values are being set aside, oral histories are not being recounted and once treasured artifacts are being lost. Combined, these consequences of change promise to sever forever the valuable link between past and future generations, taking away the unique elements that define and distinguish the many fascinating cultures that surround us. The prospect concerns me greatly, enough that I have committed to establishing this foundation and allocating to it what I suspect will become an increasing portion of my resources to promote, protect and preserve traditional indigenous cultures. While we are consulting with community leaders to determine the most efficient mechanism to deliver benefits to indigenous communities, we have started by making available any of the photographs on this web site free of charge to museums, cultural centers and volunteer organisations involved in promoting indigenous culture. We are also providing direct assistance to small-scale indigenous tourism enterprises, developing not-for profit publications to promote indigenous culture while raising funds for suitable projects. Most recently we have created a mentoring program for young photographers in the countries in which we are involved (Details of all of these initiatives follow in the headings below). In 2008, our ambitions for this Foundation are high, though still very much in their infancy. In time, however, I am confident that what we have started will grow to make a positive, a significant and - importantly - a lasting contribution to future generations.