First Vice-President, Executive Director of the RGS Artyom Manukyan and Ambassador of Peru Manuel Augusto de Cossío Klüver. Photo: Evgeny Messman
A meeting was held at the Headquarters of the Russian Geographical Society between a delegation of the Republic of Peru headed by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Manuel Augusto de Cossío Klüver and representatives of the RGS headed by First Vice-President and Executive Director of the Society Artyom Manukyan. The parties discussed the opening of an Expedition and Tourism Center in Lima, joint archaeological research and photo exhibitions, as well as the development of projects for young people.
«In its modern history, the RGS has been actively expanding its international activities: we hold events in more than 130 countries, including South America,» said Artem Manukyan. «We are currently working in 36 areas of activity. These are scientific and educational programs, international expeditions, and archaeological research. South America is of interest to the RGS — Russian geographers have been exploring these territories since the beginning of the 19th century. We will be happy to continue their work and organize joint scientific expeditions or educational programs for young people with our Peruvian colleagues.»
Russian researchers have been working in South America for two centuries. In the 1930s, Nikolai Vavilov, a Soviet geneticist and breeder, head of the All-Union Geographical Society, organized an expedition to Peru and Bolivia. The main scientific and practical objective of the project was the search for disease- and drought-resistant potato, corn, and grain seeds. The collected samples subsequently became the basis for many high-yielding varieties and hybrids in crop production. An expedition following in Vavilov’s footsteps may become the first project of the Expedition and Tourism Center of the RGS in Lima, which is being prepared for opening.
«Starting my mission in Russia, I considered it important to first of all visit the Headquarters of the RGS, since cooperation between the countries is the key to strengthening bilateral relations,» said Manuel Augusto de Cossío Klüver.
The opportunity to experience the Andean civilizations attracted many Russian researchers. In addition to Nikolai Vavilov, the navigator and scientist Otto Kotzebue, one of the founders of the RGS Fyodor Litke, and climatologist Aleksandr Voeikov visited there. The Ambassador stressed that Peru still honors the memory of archaeologist Evgeny Yakovlev, after whom one of the squares in Lima is named.
The parties agreed to work out a roadmap for cooperation and identify topics of mutual interest for further project work.