Strategy session of the chairpersons of the regional branches of the Russian Geographical Society. Photo: Vladimir Neskoromny
A strategy session of the chairpersons of the regional branches was held at the Headquarters of the Russian Geographical Society in St. Petersburg from May 14 to 17. The landmark event brought together representatives of the Ural and Volga Federal Districts, the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, as well as the Zaporizhia and Kherson Regions.
The Field Strategy Sessions, which have been held since 2018, have become an important part of the work of the Russian Geographical Society. They contribute to strengthening cooperation between the Executive Directorate and regional branches. The Strategy Sessions of the RGS are not just meetings but platforms for live dialogue, where participants can exchange experiences, share the results of their activities, and discuss issues of interest.
The Strategy Session in St. Petersburg brought together representatives from 26 regions and was devoted to preparations for the XVII Congress of the Russian Geographical Society. The prospects for the development of both regional branches and the RGS as a whole were discussed at the meeting.
At the opening ceremony on May 15, the Vice-Presidents of the RGS, Artyom Manukyan, Aleksandr Chibilev, and Kirill Chistyakov, addressed the participants of the event with a welcome speech.
«I am glad to welcome you to the historiс Headquarters of the Russian Geographical Society. This place is sacred to any geographer in our country. It is connected with all the events in the history of our organization, which for 180 years has not stopped its activities for the benefit of Russia for a single day. I hope that the results of our meeting will be new initiatives aimed at further development of the Russian Geographical Society,» Kirill Chistyakov addressed the participants.
Kirill Chistyakov and Sergei Korlykhanov. Photo: Vladimir Neskoromny
Artyom Manukyan shared with the representatives of the regional branches the results of 2024 and presented the key areas of work for the anniversary year.
«In 2025, most of the events will be related to the 180th anniversary of the RGS and the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory. We plan to hold more than 20 federal expeditions, thematic exhibitions in Russia and abroad, scale events related to the celebration of Geographer’s Day of the BRICS countries, and open new Centers of the RGS. This year, the XVII Congress of the Russian Geographical Society will also be held. There, key decisions will be made that define new horizons for our work,» said Artem Manukyan.
Marina Maksimchuk. Photo: Vladimir Neskoromny
An award ceremony was held as part of the event. Marina Maksimchuk, Chairman of the RGS’s Branch in the Donetsk People’s Republic, was awarded the Small Bronze Medal of the Russian Geographical Society. The award was presented by Kirill Chistyakov, Vice-President of the RGS. He noted Marina Maksimchuk’s active work within the framework of the Society’s activities.
Aleksandr Chibilev, Vice-President of the RGS, Chairman of the Permanent Environmental Protection Commission of the Russian Geographical Society, presented a report on the RGS mission in preserving Russia’s natural heritage. He spoke about the existing network of the objects of the nature reserve fund of Novorossiya and Donbass, about the work on their preservation and modernization. In addition, Aleksandr Chibilev noted the importance of the role of the Russian Geographical Society and its regional branches in all areas of environmental protection.
Aleksandr Chibilev. Photo: Vladimir Neskoromny
The honorary guest of the event was Miroljub Milinčić, Director of the RGS Center in Serbia, who spoke about the work done, the organization of exhibitions «The Most Beautiful Country» and RGS film screenings, environmental festivals, joint projects with educational organizations in Russia, and participation in the international educational campaign «Geographical Dictation».
In every region of the Russian Federation, the RGS actively cooperates with government authorities. Joint efforts are being carried out to strengthen the socio-economic situation of the regions. A lot of work in this direction is being carried out in cooperation with the government of St. Petersburg.
Evgeny Razumishkin, Vice-Governor of St. Petersburg, became the guest of honor at the event. He noted the importance of the work of the Russian Geographical Society in preserving historical memory, and also spoke about the projects that are being implemented by the RGS in the city. During the working meeting, an agreement on cooperation between the RGS and the Committee for the Improvement of St. Petersburg was signed.
Roman Ryabintsev, Director of the RGS’s Headquarters in St. Petersburg, spoke about the educational project «100 Reliable Facts about Novorossiya for Generation Z in Digital Images from the Archive, Cartographic Collection, and Library of the RGS», which is being implemented with the support of the Presidential Grants Fund. The participants were presented with five videos with facts confirming the inextricable link between Novorossiya and Russia. The videos will be shown to the general public soon.
Strategy session of the chairpersons of the regional branches of the RGS. Photo: Vladimir Neskoromny
During the Strategy Session, the participants discussed the possibilities of interaction between the regional branches and the Executive Directorate of the RGS. The heads of relevant departments spoke about the Society’s key projects and expeditions for the coming year. A separate section was the discussion of the participation of regional branches in the upcoming Festival of the Russian Geographical Society which will be held in Moscow from July 12 to 20.
On May 16, the participants discussed the strategic directions of the Russian Geographical Society. The participants divided into groups to jointly analyze the mission of the RGS, key development vectors, current trends and challenges faced by both the Executive Directorate and regional branches. The results of the discussion will form the basis of the Development Strategy of the Russian Geographical Society.
Another similar event is planned for 2025. It will be held from May 28 to 31 in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic and will bring together representatives of 40 regions of Russia.