The II Festival of the Russian Geographical Society will be open in the Central House of Artists in Moscow in a few days already. The press-conference, dedicated to this main event of the year in the world of geography, took place at the headquarters of the Russian Geographical Society in Moscow on the 22nd of October.
«More and more people want to get to know our country, but for different reasons they do not have enough time for doing that. They can not make those trips which are being made during our expeditions, they can not see all that our colleagues in different regions of the country see. That is for our Festival is needed», - the President of the Russian Geographical Society said opening the press-conference.
The press-conference, dedicated to the II Festival of the Russian Geographical Society
Last year the Festival was like an experiment: the guests got to know what the Russian Geographical Society is, what is the main activity of the Society, what projects it makes, etc. The quantity of the visitors exceeded all the expectations – about ten thousand of people each day!
This year according to the words of Sergey Shoygu a lot of surprises are waiting for the visitors. «We have become, as it is usually said, more creative», - Sergey Shoygu is joking and he explained that the exposition of the Festival will let the visitors look at our country from another point of view.
The exposition of the Festival will be built according to the principle of natural areas. Arctic and tundra, steppes and subtropics, mountains, forests, oceans, seas and rivers will be placed at the 5 thousand square meters of the Central House of Artists. «We have created the exposition that way to give each visitor an opportunity to turn up where he or she has not been yet», - the President of the Society noted.
The First Vice-president of the Russian Geographical Society Artur Chilingarov told the media representatives about the Arctic zone. The North romantic lovers will be able to be on drifting research station «North Pole – 2015», to enter the hydrometeorological tent, to see the process of ice «drilling» and equipment. The unique exhibits from the first Arctic expeditions will be represented as well, for instance, the pieces of the wooden buildings from the trips of Eduard Toll and Alexander Kolchak. «The Arctic zone at the Festival is being of interest to all who is indifferent to Arctic and polar research», - Artur Chilingarov assured.
Artur Chilingarov at the press-conference, dedicated to the II Festival of the Russian Geographical Society
A famous traveler, geologist by training, the international master of sports in mountaineering Vasiliy Elagin told about the legendary car «Emelja», the inventor of which he is, and about his expeditions to the North Pole by the amphibious vehicle as well. «We decided to leave a nice trail in the history of Arctic exploration and to drive to the North Pole on wheels. And we succeeded in that I think», - Elagin thinks. One of the cars will be placed at the entrance of the Central House of the Artists.
Vasiliy Elagin at the press-conference dedicated to the II Festival of the Society
The visitors of the Festival will manage to get acquainted not only to the geography of their motherland, but to get to know about the most interesting expeditions and projects of the Russian Geographical Society, and the regional as well. «The Festival – is some kind of frontier for the regions and the opportunity to show themselves», - Sergey Shoygu said.
The children from the club «The Shipbuilders of Prionezhye» (Vologda region) connected with the guests of the Headquarters of the Russian Geographical Society on video. They have built and restored by their hands some ships already. On two of them the pupils went to the expeditions on the lakes and rivers of Russia. Specially for the Festival of the Russian Geographical Society they are now preparing for sending to Moscow the handmade 13-meter-long ship – the rescue whaleboat White sample of the XIX century. It will be waiting for the guests of the Festival at the entrance of the Central House of Artists as well.
The Chairman of the Governing Board of the Russian Geographical Society Yuri Vorobyov emphasized the importance of such communication between adults and children. «The children grow up properly. They are changing in front of our eyes. Those of them who are finishing school already, are getting education, - they connect their activity with the crafts they have gained in this club», - Yuri Vorobyov clarified.
Yuri Vorobyov at the press-conference, dedicated to the II Festival of the Russian Geographical Society
Dmitry Schiller, the head of the underwater research detachment of the Russian Geographical Society, which is named after the cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, told about the project «The 13 seas of Russia». Young people are taking part in it as well. In this project`s boundaries the divers are planning to dive in all 13 seas, washing our country, and taste the Russian equipment. This project will be represented at the Festival as well.
Dmitry Schiller (in the center) at the press-conference, dedicated to the II Festival of the Russian Geographical Society. From the left to the right: Alexander Orlov, Dmitry Schiller, Vasily Elagin
The Russian Geographical Society is famous for not only its expeditions. Much attention is paid to ethnography. The whole day of the Festival – the 1st of November, - will be dedicated to this theme. The Chairman of the Ethnographic commission of the Russian Geographical Society Valery Tishkov told about this. The 31st of October there will be shown the movies about ethnographic research, created with the support of the Russian Geographical Society, on the «Kultura» channel. And the 1st of November the visitors of the Festival will have an opportunity to meet the creators and the characters of those movies at the platform of the Central House of Artists.
Anna Klochko, the curator of volunteer corps of the «Ermak» camp, told on video connecting about the creative outcome of the fifth field season of the most widescale youth expedition of the Russian Geographical Society. This year the participants of the expedition were not only working on the excavation, but were participating the volunteer`s movie shooting as well. The videocameras were given to young people by Sergey Shoygu at the opening ceremony of the first shift of 2015.
«This is a semidocumentary movie. Almost all the volunteers of the fifth season of the expedition «Kyzyl-Kuragino», archeologists, camp staff of «The Valley of Kings» and «Ermak» and even the Tuvan shamans!», - Anna Klochko said. The work at the movie is almost completed. The premiere may take place at the Festival of the Russian Geographical Society.
It is worth noting that the screenings of the movies, shot with the support of the Russian Geographical Society, will be held within the Festival each day. The showman, TV presenter and documentary Valdis Pelsh told the journalists about creation of his new documentary film named «Everest». The project is being realized with the participation of the Russian Geographical Society.
Valdis Pelsh at the press-conference, dedicated to the II Festival of the Russian Geographical Society
According to his words, in spite of the force-major circumstances, which interrupted the shooting this year (the earthquake on the Everest!), the movie will be shot. «The Russian Geographical Society really hardens!», - Valdis Pelsh noted. There will be presented the other works of this famous anchorman at the Festival.
The Festival of the Russian Geographical Society will be held since the 30th of October to the 8th of November. The first day of its work, the Festival will be open for the visitors from 15.00 to 20.00. All the following days – from 10.00 to 20.00.
«I am grateful to all who are taking part in this Festival, who will lend the movies, photos, expositions», - the President of the Russian Geographical Society noted.
We are waiting for you at the Festival!