December 22, 2014 at the Headquarters of the Russian Geographical Society a press conference dedicated to the publication of a unique book collection called "The Library of Russian travels" was held. This is a joint project of the Russian Geographical Society and the SLOVO Publishing House. The preface of the collection was written by President of the Society Sergei Shoigu.
The press conference was attended by First Vice-President of the Russian Geographical Society Artur Chilingarov, CEO of the SLOVO Publishing House Natalia Avetisyan and publisher Gregory Yeritsyan.
They said that "The Library" contained notes of travelers who lived in Rus, the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union. Most of the books consist of notes made by scientists, sailors, merchants, writers and journalists and of biographical sketches about first explorers written by researchers.
Each volume of "The Library" contains a wealth of illustrative material: reproductions of paintings, engravings, early photographs, as well as old maps and drawings of famous travelers from the Archive of the Russian Geographical Society.
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"It is essential for us to preserve this rich heritage - not in a fragile electronic format but on paper, which will allow to keep it for more than one hundred years," - said Avetisyan.
The circulation of "The Library" was relatively small: 600 sets of 20 volumes. "The Library" is sold in big Moscow bookstores, online stores and on the website of the Publishing House.
You can get acquainted with the books in the library of the Russian Geographical Society - at the end of the press conference Natalia Avetisian donated several sets to the Society.
Dear friends!
"The Library of Russian travels" is a joint project of the Russian Geographical Society and the SLOVO Publishing House. It is a twenty volume set of great geographical discoveries made by Russian travelers and explorers.
"The Library of Russian travels" covers more than five hundred years, from the middle of the XIV to the early XX century. This is the time of the formation of Russia as a great power, formation of its cultural development, foreign policy and trade relations, territorial power. And it was multiplied by Russian travelers - true patriots of the Fatherland. By those who were the first to discover new lands, pave sea routes, explore remote mysterious countries.
Most of the authors were directly related to the Russian Geographical Society, with the support of which they made new discoveries and continued working with it throughout their life. Their names are well known: G.I. Nevel, P.P Semenov-Tyan-Shansky, G.N. Potanin, N.M. Przewalski, P.K. Kozlov, N. N. Miklukho-Maclay, G.E . Grum-Grzhimailo, V.A. Obruchev and many other prominent travelers, explorers and discoverers.
In "The Library of Russian travels" you will find rare materials (some of which are published for the first time) from the collections of the Russian Geographical Society: photos of V.A. Obruchev and M.V. Pevtsov’s expeditions, watercolors made by artist P. M. Kosharov, member of the famous Tien-Shanskaya expedition, letters from the Society’s Chairman Grand Duke Nicholas Mikhailovich to G.E. Grumm Grzhimailo - the explorer of Central Asia and many other unique archival materials.
I am sure that "The Library of Russian travels" will be of interest to a wide audience, especially the younger generation.
I hope you enjoy reading it and wish you to make wonderful discoveries.
President of the Russian Geographical Society
Sergei Shoigu
Photo: Daria Vinichenko