News

Wednesday 27 September 2023

Exhibition with Unique Show-Pieces “Russia in the South Seas Region. By the Footsteps of Russian Discoveries" Opened in Moscow

 
The opening of the project “Russian Geographical Titles: Discoveries’ History” took place at the Moscow Children and Youth Center for Ecology, Local History and Tourism on the 27th of September 2023.

The project was prepared by the Miklouho-Maclay Foundation and is being implemented with expert support from the Center for the Study of the South Pacific Region of the Institute of Oriental Studies (the Russian Academy of Sciences).

The exhibition was opened by N.N. Miklukho-Maclay, the Head of the Center for the Study of the South Pacific Region (the Institute of Oriental Studies) together with D.V. Morgun, the Director of the Moscow Children and Youth Center for Ecology, Local History and Tourism, and A.K. Sukharev, the Head of the Center for Public History of Moscow State Pedagogical University.

The computer tablet exhibition of 23 information screens was supplemented by an objects’ exposition of Pacific Region peoples’ material culture.

The exposition was prepared by S.E. Pale, Ph.D., the Senior Researcher at the Center for the Study of the South Pacific Region of the Institute of Oriental Studies (the Russian Academy of Sciences). It is being available to the public for the first time in Russia.

The project is dedicated to the 220th anniversary of the first Russian circumnavigation of the world in 1803 under the leadership of I.F. Kruzenstern. It introduces the visitors with the 19^th century Russian scientists’ and navigators’ contribution to the study of the South Pacific region.

Nikolai Miklouho-Maclay addressed the event participants with a greeting. He spoke about the project goals. He noted that the exhibition material was presented in a convenient and understandable form with an emphasis on the discoveries of the Russians in various scientific disciplines.

Mr. Micloukho-Maclay noted that “This project allows to broaden the horizons of young people and helps to realize the need to acquire sufficient knowledge, so that while still being young people, like Kruzenshtern, Kotzebue, Miklouho-Maclay and others were, the modern young people would make discoveries that will bring glory to Russia”.

Dmitry Morgun emphasized that the exhibition will be on display throughout the whole academic year in different Moscow districts, that is convenient for students. The event opening marks the start of the project’s comprehensive educational program. It includes a series of lectures scheduled for the 2023/2024 academic year.

Dmitriy Morgun said that “I believe that this large-scale project is a unique event in the education system in terms of local history development and attention to the history of travel and scientific discoveries. The exposition will have a great educational effect. The exhibitions will be held until August 2024 in different districts of Moscow.”

Alexander Sukharev, the Head of the Center for Public History of the Moscow City Pedagogical University addressed the participants: “The exhibition is truly unique. The expedition of I.F. Kruzenshtern may, perhaps, be compared in terms of goals, objectives and its role in the Russian history with the construction of the Trans-Siberian and Baikal-Amur Railways. It was a grandiose Russian national project of the 19th century. I am sure that the exhibition will bring many personal discoveries to every visitor!”

The event program included an excursion for guests. The participants were able to get acquainted with the most interesting exposition and to ask questions.

The Center for the Study of the South Pacific Region was created on the initiative of A.K. Alikberov, the Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies. The Center is headed by N.N. Miklouho-Maclay.  It has been conducting for three years popular academic educational projects prepared by scientists of the Institute of Oriental Studies (the Russian Academy of Sciences) on the basis of published works, articles, monographs. The Center conducted expeditionary activities in the South Pacific Region.

The popularization of science is a process of disseminating scientific knowledge in a modern and accessible form to a wide range of people, especially young people and future scientists. It is very important in the sake of science and the whole humanity.