Today, on its 179th birthday, the Russian Geographical Society celebrates Geographer's Day!
I thank everyone who develops geographical science and popularizes it. You conduct research in laboratories, work on expeditions in different parts of Russia, and nurture new generations of scientists. Your contribution is huge and priceless!
Years and even centuries go by, and we continue our mental dialogue with the founding fathers of the Russian Geographical Society, compare our plans with them, share the joy of success and the bitterness of defeat, argue, disagree, agree, but the connection of generations has never been interrupted over the years.
Yes, it has been almost two centuries, but we are all colleagues, friends, and like-minded people. This is a very exciting and important inner feeling.
Without geography, the search for natural resources and the construction of industrial facilities, urban development and nature conservation, tourism and understanding of political processes are unthinkable. Geography is everywhere, it is interwoven into everyday life, and sometimes its role doesn’t seem to be obvious. But every new challenge to humanity is a question for geographers in the first place.
I can relate to the fact that geographers are great romantics. Thanks to you, geography is not just a science, but also, in a sense, a worldview.
Dear friends, I cordially congratulate you on the holiday!
I wish everyone good health, excitement in the search and, undoubtedly, good luck!
Sergei Shoigu,
President of the Russian Geographical Society