Concept for the 2026 Russian Geographical Society Award - RGS

1.1. The Russian Geographical Society Award, hereinafter referred to as ‘the Award’, is an award of the All-Russian non-governmental organisation ‘The Russian Geographical Society’, hereinafter referred to as ‘the Society’, in the field of national geography, ecology, the preservation and promotion of natural, historical and cultural heritage of Russia.

1.2. The Award was established to promote the activities of the Society, to increase interest in projects related to national geography, ecology, the preservation of Russia’s natural, historical and cultural heritage, as well as to support those who promote geographical science and education.

1.3. Submission of applications is possible in areas that align with the mission, objectives and subject of the Society’s activities, as outlined in the Society’s Charter.

1.4. The Award is granted on a competitive basis by the Award Jury.

1.5. Members of the Award Jury are approved by the President of the Society.

1.6. The call for applications for the Award is announced on the Society’s website, www.rgo.ru, hereinafter referred to as ‘the Society’s website’.

1.7. The competition is open to adult individuals, minors aged 8 to 14 represented by their legal guardians, individual entrepreneurs, legal entities, as well as teams of authors whose works (projects) meet the requirements of this Concept, hereinafter referred to as ‘the applicants’.

1.8. The Award takes place according to the following schedule:

1.8.1. 17 August 2026 – 18 January 2027 – submission of applications for the Award, hereinafter referred to as ‘the applications’.

1.8.2. 1 December 2026 – 5 March 2027 – technical screening of applications by the Working Group.

1.8.3. 5 March 2027 – 5 May 2027 – evaluation of applications by the Award’s Expert Group.

1.8.4. 31 May 2027 – 19 July 2027 – evaluation of applications by the Award Jury.

1.8.5. October–November 2027 – the Award Ceremony to honour the winners.

2.1. The Award is granted in the following categories:

2.1.1. Geography at School. Education project. The award in this category is granted for innovative approaches to geography education in schools. The applicants develop and utilise cutting-edge teaching methods in their work and effectively apply an interdisciplinary approach, thereby helping to improve the quality of geography teaching in the country’s general education institutions.

2.1.2. Russia’s Riches. Environmental project. The award is granted to a completed project focusing on the restoration of natural habitats, the preservation of rare species, environmental monitoring and public education. Projects in this category aim to preserve Russia’s natural heritage, foster a responsible attitude towards the environment and develop environmental ethics.

2.1.3. Inspiring Travel. Tourism project. The award is granted to a completed tourism project aimed at unlocking the unique potential of Russia’s regions and promoting local cultural, natural and historical heritage through travel. Projects must demonstrate a connection to a specific region and its unique sites or initiatives: tourist routes and excursions, nature trails and nature parks, tourism and recreation complexes, museum and cultural venues, event programmes and activities, gastronomic tourism attractions, travel guides and digital travel services.

2.1.4. Young Explorers. Children’s project. Projects exploring Russia through the lens of its nature, culture, history and geography, created by children and young people aged between 8 and 14, are eligible for this category. Eligible entries include research, environmental, tourism, education, cultural and outreach projects, as well as projects utilising digital technologies and gamification. Projects may take a wide variety of forms – school expeditions, environmental observation diaries, interactive maps of the local area, educational games and other ideas that help participants to learn more about our country and its natural and cultural diversity.

2.1.5. The Power of Discovery. Expedition project. The award is granted to an expedition that has achieved outstanding results through fieldwork and in-office studies. Applications for this category are open to comprehensive projects that contribute to the development of geography and related sciences, and which involve work in remote or under-researched areas. The research carried out results in new knowledge, as well as positive changes on the ground linked to the expedition’s work. The expedition may also include work with local communities and an educational component in its plan. Applications are accepted for expeditions carried out between 2024 and 2026 – both those organised under the auspices of the Russian Geographical Society and independent projects.

2.1.6. The Geographical Cultural Code. Public outreach media project. The award is granted to an educational project aimed at shaping the image of Russia through its natural environment, culture, history and geography. The category considers exhibition, publishing, education and culturally educational initiatives, as well as lecture series, guided tour programmes and other forms of public outreach. The main aim is to reveal the country’s cultural, historical and geographical diversity and to broaden knowledge about Russia.

2.1.7. Falling in Love with Russia. Public outreach media project. Applications are invited for the best television, film and social media projects on the geography, history, ethnography and culture of Russia, as well as on the outstanding scientists, explorers and travellers who help to ensure that our country remains a great power. The jury will pay particular attention to works that encourage viewers to explore their own country and inspire people to treat its national heritage with care. Eligible entries include documentaries, popular science programmes, educational and auteur films, television programmes, series, special television projects, as well as projects created for cinema release, festival screenings, television broadcasts or online streaming.

2.1.8. Falling in Love with Russia. Travel media project. The award is granted to the best media project on travel in Russia that offers a fresh perspective on the country through the lens of its history, geography and culture – our shared heritage. It is both a travel project and a study that inspires viewers to set off on a journey and see the largest and most beautiful country with their own eyes. Themes and storylines can vary widely – from expeditions in search of new knowledge and an immersion in the history of geographical discoveries to stories about atmospheric, picturesque routes and unique, little-known places. Travel projects on social media, as well as television and film projects focusing on historical, geographical, biographical, ethnographic, cultural and social studies of Russia, are eligible for submission.

2.1.9. Siberia in the Spotlight. The award is granted for scientific, applied and educational works in geography devoted to the development of Siberia. The nomination continues the tradition of the Russian Geographical Society’s expeditions and encourages comprehensive research aimed at studying and revealing the natural, economic and cultural potential of this huge region. Projects submitted for consideration may take the following forms: complex expeditions, atlases of Siberia, natural resource databases, educational lecture series, digital platforms for regional development, and other original initiatives.

2.1.10. Geography of the Future. The award is granted for successfully implemented applied IT solutions in projects relating to geography, cartography, the environment and other related fields. Projects utilising geographic information systems, geoportals, mobile applications with geodata, neural network algorithms for analysing spatial information, satellite monitoring and digital mapping services are eligible for consideration. Open platforms for environmental monitoring, neural networks for analysing Earth imagery, mobile apps for tourists with offline maps and other developments may be submitted for the award.

2.2. As part of the competition, the Society may award the following special prizes in the form of a commemorative certificate, hereinafter referred to as ‘Special Prizes’:

2.2.1. For Staying True to a Dream. The Special Prize is awarded to the best local, independent project that inspires people to travel and motivates them to fulfil their cherished dreams of personal discovery. This could be a one-of-a-kind eco-trail or a private museum – there are no restrictions on format.

2.2.2. Revealing Russia to the World. A Special Prize for a significant contribution to promoting the geography, nature, history, culture and diversity of the regions of the Russian Federation on the international stage. Eligible projects include organising exhibitions and festivals in foreign countries, creating documentary films and television programmes, publishing books and other materials, conducting academic research, organising education events, youth exchanges and private initiatives dedicated to Russia, as well as initiatives aimed at preserving collective memory and fostering intercultural dialogue.

2.2.3. Keepers of Russian Geographical Society Heritage. This special prize is awarded to an educational project that utilises materials from the Russian Geographical Society’s funds, as well as materials from the Society’s regional and local branches, local archives, museums, libraries and education institutions. Projects are aimed at promoting geographical knowledge and exploring the history and activities of the Russian Geographical Society and its distinguished members within Russia and abroad. Thematic exhibitions, books, the introduction of new artefacts (discovered in museum or archive storerooms) into academic use, and projects in other formats are eligible for consideration.

2.2.4. Visionaries. This special prize recognises expedition projects that are bold in both their conception and execution, and which have yielded innovative results in the understanding of Russia. The award honours the successful resolution of visionary research and applied tasks, which require a broad perspective, personal and professional ambition, and a readiness to tackle complex challenges. Eligible projects may feature an original research hypothesis, involve testing innovative equipment or establishing industry standards, piloting new methodologies or conducting full-scale experiments – authors and teams are given ample opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities during field trips to remote areas.

2.2.5. Generation of Discoveries. The Russian Geographical Society’s Youth Movement Special Prize is awarded to projects that operate at the intersection of several fields: from research and travel to the environment and culture. Projects created on the principle of ‘young people for young people’ are eligible for consideration. These are initiatives that speak the same language as the current generation, inspiring young people to explore the country, discover new meanings and preserve our heritage. Projects carried out by authors aged 35 or under are eligible for the award.

2.2.6. My Homeplace. A Special Prize is awarded for the best project or event implemented in small towns and settlements. The winning project should have made a significant contribution to the preservation and promotion of Russia’s natural, geographical, historical and cultural heritage, and have also helped to improve the quality of life for the local population. These are ideas based on new approaches to infrastructure development, the promotion of regional brands and the strengthening of local communities. Particular attention is paid to projects focused on the study, revival and promotion of historical and cultural traditions, as well as the organisation of events that increase interest in small towns and create new opportunities for residents’ self-fulfilment.

3.1. Submission of applications is carried out through the Society’s website by filling out the corresponding registration form.

3.2. Applications are submitted by the applicant by clicking the ‘Submit’ button on the website.

3.3. Projects submitted for the Award must have been implemented by individuals, individual entrepreneurs, legal entities, or teams of authors who have submitted an application, within the five years preceding the year in which the competition is held, including the year of the competition itself.

3.4. The application must include a description of the project submitted for the Award, including the following information:

3.4.1. Award category.

3.4.2. Project name.

3.4.3. Full name of the applicant – the individual submitting the application.

3.4.4. Date of birth of the project’s author.

3.4.5. Contact information (address, email, phone number).

3.4.6. Full name of the author, name of the individual entrepreneur, name of the institution (legal entity) and/or the project’s team of authors (indicating the project/team leader).

3.4.7. Project mission and objectives.

3.4.8. Project implementation timeline.

3.4.9. Project’s geographical scope (Russia or other countries).

3.4.10. Project partners.

3.4.11. Project description.

3.4.12. Outcomes and results of the project.

3.4.13. Certificates, diplomas, awards and other recognitions previously received by the project (if applicable).

3.4.14. Project presentation in ppt or pdf format.

3.4.15. Additional materials (photos, videos and audio materials).

3.4.16. Comments on additional materials.

3.5. Projects that have previously been honoured with awards from the Society, as provided for in the Russian Geographical Society’s Awards Regulations, may not be nominated for the Award, except where such projects constitute a new component of an ongoing and/or continuing project that has previously been honoured with awards from the Society, as provided for in the Russian Geographical Society’s Awards Regulations.

3.6. Projects implemented in violation of the legislation of the Russian Federation, containing offensive information or information contrary to moral principles and universally recognised values, will not be considered.

4.1. By submitting an application, the applicant on behalf of the project author, legal representative of a minor project author, authorised representative of an individual entrepreneur, authorised representative of a legal entity, or authorised head of team of authors, guarantees the following:

4.1.1. The applicant/nominee for the Award is the rights holder of the materials attached to the application (project presentation, photo, audio and video materials, hereinafter referred to as ‘Materials’).

4.1.2. Materials do not violate the legislation of the Russian Federation, do not contain offensive information or information contrary to moral principles and universally recognised values.

4.1.3. The content of Materials does not infringe on the rights of third parties.

4.1.4. If third parties challenge the Society’s rights to use Materials in court or otherwise, the applicant is obliged to participate in the proceedings on the side of the Society and prove the legality of the Society’s use of Materials.

4.1.5. If the applicant cannot prove the legality of the use and disposal of Materials and the Society is held liable, the applicant is obliged to reimburse the Society within 10 (ten) calendar days from the date of entry into force of the court’s decision and/or decision of another body resolving the dispute for court costs, the amount to be recovered from the Society in favour of a third party and other expenses related to the legal proceedings.

4.1.6. In the case of people appearing in Materials uploaded by the applicant, the applicant has obtained a model release/consent (consent for publication and further use of Materials) for the images of the people.

4.1.7. In the case of claims against the Society by holders of copyright and/or related rights, their authorised representatives, or third parties regarding the Society’s use of Materials, the applicant undertakes to resolve all disputes with the third parties who made such claims at their own expense and to compensate the Society for any damages incurred as a result.

4.2. Legal representatives of minor authors, authorised representatives of individual entrepreneurs, legal entities, and authorised heads of teams of authors are indeed such representatives.

4.3. Copyright to Materials submitted for the competition remains with the authors of the respective Materials.

4.4. By participating in the competition, the applicant, as a voluntary donation to the statutory activities of the Society, grants the Society the right (a non-exclusive licence) to use the photos/videos, hereinafter referred to as Works/Materials, as well as their fragments, in ways provided for by the civil legislation of the Russian Federation, including:

• reproduction of Work, i.e., the creation of one or more copies of Work or its part in any material form, including in the form of sound or video recordings, the creation in three dimensions of one or more copies of a two-dimensional Work, and in two dimensions of one or more copies of a three-dimensional Work. Recording Work on an electronic medium, including recording in computer memory, is also considered reproduction;
• distribution of Work by sale or other alienation of its original or copies;
• public display of Work, i.e., any demonstration of the original or copy of Work directly or on a screen using film, slides, television frames or other technical means, as well as the demonstration of individual frames of an audiovisual Work without observing their sequence, directly or with the help of technical means in a place open to free access or in a place where a significant number of persons not belonging to the usual family circle are present, regardless of whether Work is perceived at the place of its demonstration or in another place simultaneously with the demonstration of Work;
• import of the original or copies of Work for distribution purposes;
• rental of the original or a copy of Work;
• public performance of Work, i.e., the presentation of Work in live performance or with the help of technical means (radio, television and other technical means), as well as the display of an audiovisual work (with or without sound accompaniment) in a place open to free access or in a place where a significant number of persons not belonging to the usual family circle are present, regardless of whether Work is perceived at the place of its presentation or display or in another place simultaneously with the presentation or display of Work;
• broadcasting, i.e., the distribution of Work to the public by radio or television. Broadcasting includes any action by which Work becomes accessible for auditory and/or visual perception, regardless of its actual perception by the public. When broadcasting works via satellite, broadcasting includes the reception of signals from a ground station to a satellite and the transmission of signals from the satellite, by which Work can be communicated to the public, regardless of its actual reception by the public. Transmission of encoded signals is considered broadcasting if decoding means are provided to an unlimited number of persons by the broadcasting organisation or with its consent;
• cablecasting, i.e., the distribution of Work to the public by radio or television using cable, wire, optical fibre or similar means. Transmission of encoded signals is considered cablecasting if decoding means are provided to an unlimited number of persons by the cable broadcasting organisation or with its consent;
• retransmission, i.e., the reception and simultaneous unaltered transmission by broadcasting (including via satellite) or cable of an unbridged radio or television broadcast or its substantial part by a broadcasting or cablecasting organisation;
• translation or other adaptation of Work. Adaptation includes the creation of derivative works (arrangements, screen adaptations, dramatisations, etc.). Adaptation (modification) of a computer programme or database includes any changes, including translation of such a programme or database from one language to another, except for adaptation, i.e., changes made solely for the purpose of enabling the programme or database to function on specific technical means of the user or under the control of specific user programmes;
• practical implementation of an architectural, design, urban planning or landscape project;
• making Work available to the public in such a way that any person may access Work from any place and at any time of their choice (making available to the public).

4.5. The applicant grants the Society the right to publish Materials and to use Materials in the ways provided for in the ‘Licence Agreement’ section of this Concept, worldwide.

4.6. The applicant grants the Society the right to include Materials or their fragments in any complex objects (films, other audiovisual works, theatrical performances, multimedia products, databases, etc.), as well as the right to include Materials or their fragments in any composite works. The applicant understands, accepts, and agrees that the exclusive rights to the complex and composite objects of intellectual activity specified in this clause, which may include Materials, will belong to the Society, which, in turn, has the right to transfer such rights to third parties.

4.7. The applicant agrees that the Society may create any other independent works as a result of adapting Materials of the competition, including, but not limited to, any audiovisual works, animated, advertising, promotional, image, informational, and announcement videos and clips, as well as other results of intellectual activity and means of individualisation.

The Society will have the exclusive right in full to the new results of intellectual activity and means of individualisation, including the right to multiple (unlimited) use, in whole and/or in part (fragmentarily), and multiple (unlimited) disposal on a paid and/or free basis of the new results of intellectual activity and means of individualisation, without territorial or time limitations, at its discretion, by any existing or future methods not contrary to the legislation of the Russian Federation.

4.8. The applicant grants the Society the right to enter into sublicence agreements/contracts with third parties on paid or free terms within the scope of the rights granted to the Society under the ‘Licence Agreement’ section of this Concept. The Society may independently determine the cost of sublicences and is not required to provide the applicant with reports on the use of Materials or on the sublicence agreements/contracts concluded.

The applicant understands, accepts and agrees that the Society is not liable to the applicant for the use of Materials by third parties who have obtained the rights to use Materials under a sublicence.

4.9. The applicant agrees that the Society may place Materials uploaded by the applicant on souvenir, printed and other products sold by the Society.

4.10. The term of the non-exclusive licence granting the Society the right to use uploaded Materials is the term of the exclusive rights to Materials from the moment they are uploaded to the Society’s website.

4.11. By uploading Materials to the Society’s website, the applicant/nominee for the Award automatically gives their consent to the use of their name and Materials submitted for the competition for the statutory purposes of the Society, as well as consent to the use of Materials in the ways provided for in the ‘Licence Agreement’ section of this Concept.

4.12. Uploading Materials to the Society’s website confirms that the applicant understands all the terms of this Concept, is aware of the legal consequences of non-compliance with the terms of this Concept, agrees to the terms of this Concept, and understands and agrees to the scope of non-exclusive rights transferred to the Society under the ‘Licence Agreement’ section of this Concept.

5.1. The procedure for evaluating applications consists of the following steps:

5.1.1. Technical screening of applications by the Award’s Working Group.

5.1.2. Evaluation of applications by the Award’s Expert Group.

5.1.3. Evaluation of applications by the Award Jury.

5.2. The Award’s Working Group, comprising representatives from the Society’s organisational units, is formed to carry out the technical screening of applications (checking that application forms have been completed correctly and comply with the competition requirements).

5.3. For the preliminary evaluation of applications, so as to assess their compliance with the evaluation criteria, the Award’s Expert Group is formed. Its members are approved by the co-chairs of the Award’s Expert Group, who are appointed by the President of the Society.

5.3.1. The Award’s Expert Group carries out a preliminary evaluation of applications based on the following criteria:

5.3.1.1. compliance of the project with the specified category;

5.3.1.2. project relevance;

5.3.1.3. social significance of the project;

5.3.1.4. comprehensiveness and geographical scope;

5.3.1.5. presence of an innovative component;

5.3.1.6. quality of the project’s implementation (alignment of the project’s outcomes with the stated objectives, the degree to which they have been developed, and the suitability of the implementation mechanisms);

5.3.1.7. effectiveness of the project (the presence of high-quality results, the accessibility and scientific and educational value of the information obtained);

5.3.1.8. the project’s media coverage (media exposure, level of public awareness, dissemination of information about the project and promotion of the project’s results).

5.4. Following the Expert Group’s assessment, the shortlisted applications are submitted to the Award Jury for consideration.

5.5. The Award Jury, evaluating the applications presented by the Award’s Expert Group, determines the Award finalists (3 projects in each category) and the Award winners from among the finalists in each category.

5.6. The decision to give the Award is made by secret ballot of the Award Jury members.

5.7. The names of the winners and finalists of the Award are not announced until the Award Ceremony.

5.8. All finalists of the Award (3 projects in each category) are invited to the Award Ceremony.

5.9. The Award may be presented in each category to one nominee—an individual, individual entrepreneur, or legal entity—or to a team of authors.

5.10. Winners of the Award in the categories specified in clauses 2.1.1, 2.1.2, 2.1.3, 2.1.5, 2.1.6, 2.1.7, 2.1.8, 2.1.9 and 2.1.10 receive a personalised diploma indicating the category, a desktop composition and a monetary prize of 1,000,000 roubles.

5.11. If the Award is granted to a team of authors, the monetary prize is divided equally among all team members listed in the application. Each team member receives their share of the monetary prize separately.

5.12. The winner of the Award in the category specified in clause 2.1.4 receives a personalised diploma indicating the category, a desktop composition and a certificate for a tour of Russia for themselves and two accompanying persons.

5.13. Finalists of the Award receive an honorary diploma.

5.14. The Award and any Special Prize may not be granted if no applications pass the competitive selection based on the evaluations by the Expert Group and the Award Jury.

5.15. The Society has the right to nominate candidates for the Award. Candidates nominated by the Society shall participate in the competitive selection process on equal terms with all other entrants and shall be assessed in accordance with the requirements of this Concept.

5.16. The Award Jury is entitled to nominate individual projects for the Award’s Special Prizes, taking into account the views expressed by the Working Group and/or the Expert Group.

5.17. The decisions of the members of the Jury and the Expert Group are final and not subject to review.

5.18. The Society does not provide written or oral explanations regarding the reasons for decisions made during the evaluation.

5.19. At any stage of the competition, members of the Working Group, the Expert Group and the Award Jury are entitled to transfer applications from one category to another at their discretion.

6.1. The Society, when paying rewards to the Award winners, acts as a tax agent and withholds personal income tax from the amount of the payment made.

6.2. Participation in the competition for the Award (the act of filling out the corresponding application on the official Russian Geographical Society’s website) means:

6.2.1. Full and unconditional acceptance by the participant of the conditions and rules established by the Society for conducting the competition for the Award, and agreement with the requirements set by the Society for participation in the competition for the Award.

6.2.2. The Award nominee’s commitment to comply with the conditions and rules established by the Society for conducting the competition for the Award.

6.2.3. Consent to the storage and processing of participants’ personal data in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation on personal data.

6.3. The Society is not responsible for non-performance or inappropriate performance of its obligations resulting from failures in telecommunication and power networks, actions of malicious software, as well as unfair actions of third parties aimed at unauthorised access and/or disabling the Society’s software and/or hardware systems.

6.4. The Society reserves the right to make changes to the rules for conducting the competition for the Award.

6.5. The Society reserves the right to improve the design of the Special Prizes provided for in clause 2.2 of this Concept.

6.6. This Concept constitutes an offer, which is accepted by the applicant at the moment of uploading Materials to the Society’s website.

6.7. In accordance with Article 434 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, the applicant acknowledges and agrees that the written form of the transaction (the Society’s posting of this offer on the website, which includes the Licence Agreement, and the applicant’s acceptance of this offer by uploading Materials to the Society’s website) is considered fulfilled.