The exhibition is an output of a large educational project that received a grant from the Russian Geographical Society a year ago. The project is led by Corresponding Fellow of the Russian Academy of Sciences Nikolai Filatov, Chief Researcher at the Northern Water Problems Institute (NWPI) KarRC RAS. The project team includes like-minded colleagues from various scientific and cultural institutions: Tatyana Regerand, Deputy Director for Science at NWPI KarRC RAS; Anastasia Vasilyeva, Senior Researcher at the KarRC RAS Department for Multidisciplinary Research and Institute of Economics; Aleksey Sobisevich, Leading Researcher at the Vavilov Institute for the History of Science and Technology RAS (Moscow); Denis Kuznetsov, Secretary for Science of the Republic of Karelia National Museum; and graphic designer Yaroslava Iyudina.
– Whether we belong to a younger or senior generation, it’s important for us to know about this remarkable man. He was one of the most honored figures in the Olonets Governorate. In 1812, during the war with Napoleon, he was sent as a university professor from St. Petersburg to Petrozavodsk. There, Konstantin Ivanovich completed his first scholarly work – a description of the Olonets factories and the Olonets Governorate, laying the foundations of his research as a statistician and economist. Konstantin Arsenyev was a fellow of the Academy of Sciences. His geography textbook, first published in 1818, went through twenty editions! He authored fundamental treatises on statistics and ethnography. He was the tutor of Tsesarevich Alexander Nikolaevich – the future Emperor Alexander II. Finally, he was one of those who, together with Admiral Fyodor Litke, founded the Russian Geographical Society, – shared the project leader Nikolai Filatov at the opening ceremony.
Director of the NWPI KarRC RAS Yulia Lukina added that fundamental research is impossible without historical analysis: "Hypotheses, progressive theories, and concepts can only be built if continuity of scientific thought is maintained. In this context, the name of Konstantin Arsenyev certainly deserves special attention, as his multifaceted scientific work is of exceptional value for preserving the history of Russia and our region".
Aleksey Tolstikov, Chairman of RGS Karelian Branch
On behalf of the Russian Geographical Society, Aleksey Tolstikov, Chairman of the RGS’s Karelian Branch, congratulated the project team and guests on the exhibition launch.
– Continuing the traditions of its founders, the Russian Geographical Society supports and popularizes geographical research. Today is a very significant event for our Branch. We believe it’s important that as many Petrozavodsk residents as possible learn about the life of this outstanding scientist and educator: come to the lectures, bring your friends. Importantly, this is a mobile exhibition. It will be on display at the National Library until June 11, and will then be presented in other organizations and cities, not only in Karelia. We already have a preliminary agreement to exhibit it in the Kostroma Region, where Konstantin Arsenyev was born, – informed Aleksey Tolstikov.
Sergey Grippa, Associate Professor of the Department of Earth Sciences and Geotechnologies at the Institute of Forestry, Mining and Construction Sciences of the Petrozavodsk State University, added that the PetrSU will be one of the venues for the exhibition: "We expect that students will not only view the exhibition but also help organize tours for schoolchildren".
Konstantin Arsenyev died in 1865 in Petrozavodsk, where his son, Yury Arsenyev, then served as the governor of the Olonets Governorate. Konstantin Ivanovich is buried on the grounds of the Exaltation of the Cross Cathedral. The memory of the scholar is cherished not only by geographers and historians but also by economists. Traditionally, every two years the Institute of Economics KarRC RAS holds the Arsenyev’s Readings – an international science-topractice conference. The next conference will take place this fall.
Tatyana Morozova, Director of the Institute of Economic KarRC RAS, addresses the audience
– Arsenyev’s Readings also serve as a platform for the Free Economic Society, one of the oldest in Russia, established during the reign of Empress Catherine II. The collaboration between two societies with such rich histories – the Russian Geographical Society and the Free Economic Society – is certainly no coincidence. I am convinced that this partnership, intrinsically linked to the name of Konstantin Arsenyev, will be very fruitful, – noted Tatyana Morozova, Director of the Institute of Economics KarRC RAS, welcoming the participants.
The opening speeches were wrapped up by RAS Corresponding Fellow Olga Bakhmet, CEO of the Karelian Research Centre RAS. She thanked KarRC RAS employees and all participants of the project led by Nikolai Filatov for what they have accomplished to preserve the memory of Konstantin Arsenyev, and acknowledged the collaboration and efforts of the National Library of Karelia in organizing the exhibition.
– It is really important to know what happened and what was done in our region not only in recent decades but also over past centuries; we must preserve the memory of generations. Another essential perspective of this project is awareness-building: the results of those geographical discoveries are still relevant today, and we continue to utilize this knowledge, – emphasized Olga Bakhmet.
KarRC RAS CEO, RAS Corr. Fellow Olga Bakhmet
In conclusion of the meeting, Nikolai Filatov announced the publication of the topic-related article "An unforgotten geographer, statistician, economist, historian, and academician – K.I. Arsenyev" in the new issue of the journal Transaction of the Karelian Research Centre RAS.
The exhibition at the National Library of the Republic of Karelia will be on until June 11. The agenda also includes open lectures:
May 18, 6:00 PM – Russian Geographical Society’s travellers in Karelia (E.V. Kuznetsova, Deputy Director of the Kostomuksha Nature Reserve);
May 25, 6:00 PM – Karelian stone in the architecture and monuments of Russia (S.P. Grippa, Associate Professor, Department of Earth Sciences and Geotechnologies, Institute of Forestry, Mining and Construction Sciences, Petrozavodsk State University);
June 1, 6:00 PM – Lake Onego under climate change and human impact (E.M. Makarova, Junior Researcher, Laboratory of Hydrobiology, Northern Water Problems Institute KarRC RAS);
June 8, 6:00 PM – 300 years of lake research in Russia and Karelia" (N.N. Filatov, RAS Corr. Fellow, specialist in integrated study of inland water bodies and sea coast environments).
