On August 18, the celebration of Geographer’s Day of the BRICS countries took place for the first time at the Headquarters of the Russian Geographical Society in Moscow. The event was held as part of the development of Russia's initiative to establish a single professional holiday for the countries of the interstate association, and is timed to coincide with Russia's presidency of BRICS in 2024.
Since 2019, Geographer's Day has been officially celebrated in Russia on August 18. It appeared on the initiative of the RGS, which was supported by the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. In 2023, the Society proposed to make August 18 a single Geographer’s Day of BRICS.
“Geography is a very international science, because we study processes and phenomena regardless of borders. Therefore, geography is the future," said Nikolai Kasimov, First Vice-President of the RGS, President of the Faculty of Geography of Lomonosov Moscow State University, member of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
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The idea was approved by Russian Minister of Science and Education Valery Falkov and announced at a meeting of the BRICS education ministers in the summer of 2023. Following the discussions, it was decided to celebrate the Geographer’s Say of BRICS starting in 2024.
"The BRICS countries, which are located in all climatic zones, are of great scientific interest to geographers," said Konstantin Mogilevsky, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of Russia. “Taking into account the expansion of BRICS, the joining of new countries, our capabilities are expanding. And Geographer’s Day of the BRICS countries is not only a tribute to geography, it is a mechanism for joining forces for the practical implementation of joint projects.”
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It is expected that the decision on the establishment of BRICS Geographer's Day will be included in the Declaration of the 12th meeting of Ministers of Science, Technology and Innovation of the BRICS countries, which will be held in September 2024, as well as in the final declaration of the BRICS Summit (October 2024).
"The unprecedented Russian initiative to establish the Geographer's Day holiday for all BRICS countries is designed to stimulate further expansion of contacts and promotion of joint projects in the interests of ensuring favorable conditions for the progressive development of the union states," said Mikhail Pontser, Second Secretary of the Department of Foreign Policy Planning of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “We hope that Geographer's Day will become the starting point for numerous new useful initiatives and another good tradition in our BRICS family.”
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The establishment of BRICS Geographer's Day is aimed at raising awareness of the potential of joint activities in the field of geographical sciences in the space of the interstate association, will promote the popularization of Earth sciences and promote their development within the framework of cooperation between the BRICS countries, attract the younger generation to research, and international projects by increasing the prestige of geography and related sciences.
The celebration of BRICS Geographer's Day at the RGS Headquarters was attended by specialists in the field of geography, conservation, tourism, and related fields from the countries of the new, expanded BRICS membership: Brazil, India, China, South Africa, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, as well as representatives of Russian departments and organizations, foreign embassies, and the media.
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Foreign experts spoke about the place geographical sciences occupy in their countries, made reports on the key results of their research.
Presentations by the BRICS specialists on the latest trends and developments in the field of geography, prospects for joint projects were held.
Themba Mathebula, Manager of Rolfontein Nature Reserve (South Africa), representing the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment, Rural Development and Land Reform of the North Cape Province of South Africa, spoke about protected areas using the example of the North Cape Province.
Ahmed Al-Murshidi, Associate Professor at the Department of Geography and Sustainable Urban Sustain from United Arab Emirates University, spoke about the place and role of geographical sciences in the UAE.
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Geographer, co-founder of KHARTES Geoconsulting (Brazil) and GIS specialist Diego Moreira Carvalho from the University of Brasilia introduced the forest fire warning system in his country.
Yaoming Li, Head of the Research Centre for the Green Development of the Silk Road from the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, spoke about the current state and trends in the development of geographical sciences in China.
The coordinator of the forest program from the Regional State Bureau for Forest Protection, Environment and Climate Change of Southwestern Ethiopia, Yericho Meshesha, gave an overview of geographical sciences in Ethiopia and an analysis of their practical application in the framework of environmental protection activities.
Susheela Devi Negi, Senior Director, Climate, Energy and Sustainable Technologies (CEST) Division, Ministry of Science & Technology of India, presented the landscape of geographic research activities in India and spoke about the country's key initiatives in the field of sustainable development.
Saeid Soufizadeh, Associate Professor at the Environmental Sciences Scientific Research Institute of Shahid Beheshti University (Iran), explained the importance of preserving biodiversity and its sustainable use.
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Another representative of Iran, urban development researcher and tourism expert Mansour Abdoli, told what role ecotourism played in achieving sustainable development using the example of the InIranProject ecotourism agency, of which he is the founder.
Following the event, foreign specialists will spend several days in the Khakassky Nature Reserve and Sayano-Shushensky Nature Reserve, where they will take part in environmental education modules, exchange experiences at round tables, visit key attractions, and also contribute to the improvement of the territory through volunteer eco-actions.
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