Talented youth from all over the world was selected to take part in the Arctic expedition. It is the first time schoolchildren from South Africa, Tunisia and Cameroon will visit the North Pole.
Representatives from South Africa, Tunisia, Cameroon, Mongolia, Hungary, India, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Bangladesh, Belarus, Armenia, Uzbekistan and other countries will take part in the project run with the support of Rosatom. Many of the foreign participants will become the first representatives of their countries to reach the North Pole.
On August 13, 2024, the fifth Arctic expedition Icebreaker of Knowledge, organised with the support of Rosatom and the ‘Knowledge’ Russian society, set off from Murmansk to the North Pole. This year, the Atomflot’s (Rosatom’s company) nuclear icebreaker 50 Let Pobedy will take on board an international team of talented schoolchildren and experts from 15 countries for the first time. The experts were selected among the participants of the World Youth Festival in Sochi in 2024.
‘Rosatom is delighted to welcome the participants of the Icebreaker of Knowledge expedition. The corporation is especially honoured that the expedition acquired international status in the year of the 65th anniversary of the nuclear icebreaker fleet. Fifteen participants of the World Youth Festival, children from the countries where we are actively deploying nuclear technologies, and the best Russian schoolchildren will become the true team. The Arctic unites talented and goal-oriented people! I wish you good luck!’ – said Leonid Irlitsa, Director General of Atomflot, at the ceremonial start of the Rosatom Arctic expedition Icebreaker of Knowledge.
The scientific and educational project Icebreaker of Knowledge is aimed at popularising natural sciences and technologies of the nuclear industry, finding and supporting talented and gifted children, developing their abilities and career guidance. Since the start of the project, more than 300 gifted schoolchildren, including those from African countries, have taken part in Arctic expeditions on the nuclear icebreaker 50 Let Pobedy. Rosatom’s anniversary Arctic expedition Icebreaker of Knowledge is timed to coincide with the 65th anniversary of the nuclear icebreaker fleet.
‘It is hard to convey emotions being next to this technology miracle, the height of engineering achievement. I feel proud of my country and this proudness gets more intense when I realise that this miracle has been created by our people. Today we are not just going on an expedition, but for the first time ever we will carry the light of knowledge from the northernmost point of the planet. I am glad that the “Knowledge” society has the opportunity to become a part of this unique Rosatom project. Our partners, like us, are focused on creating new opportunities for the development of young people, and this what unites us. I am sure that all participants of the expedition will have unforgettable impressions!’ – said Maxim Dreval.
The expedition team has a rich educational programme ahead including lectures, master classes, scientific games, film shows and a lot of other things. The members will deliver flags of their countries to the North Pole and will be presented with the nuclear achievements and technologies, including solutions for the development of the Arctic and the Northern Sea Route. In addition, for the first time, they will make a documentary series about the life of an international team of schoolchildren making a voyage on the nuclear-powered vessel in harsh Arctic conditions.
Captain Ruslan Sasov is in charge of the icebreaker 50 Let Pobedy. The voyage will be made on the route from Murmansk through the North Pole and Franz Josef Land to Murmansk. Icebreaker of Knowledge 2024 is expected to be at the Pole on August 17, and back to the port of Murmansk on August 22nd. The trip is an amazing opportunity for children from all over the world to learn more about the planet, share experiences and impressions with other participants, get new acquaintances from different continents.
Background
The scientific and educational project Icebreaker of Knowledge organised by the network of Information Centres on Atomic Energy (ICAE) with the support of Rosatom. This year, there are about 15 thousand applications for participation.
Russia is the only country in the world with a nuclear icebreaker fleet. Since 2018, the State Corporation Rosatom has been the infrastructure operator of the Northern Sea Route. The development of infrastructure and shipping in the Arctic is one of the key areas of activity of the State Corporation Rosatom. In December 2019, the Government of the Russian Federation approved the NSR Infrastructure Development Plan until 2035, developed by Rosatom.
Currently, the nuclear icebreaker fleet includes seven icebreakers: the lead universal nuclear icebreaker Arktika, the first serial universal nuclear icebreaker Sibir, the second serial universal nuclear icebreaker Ural, the nuclear icebreakers Yamal, 50 Let Pobedy, Taimyr, and Vaigach.
Large Russian companies are expanding the range of their solutions for attracting personnel and revealing the potential of talented employees. Rosatom implements early career guidance programs, being involved in the creation of basic departments at Russian universities, the implementation of scholarship support programs, large educational projects, the organisation of practical training and internships for students including their further employment.
