"To set out on an expedition, it is enough to step outside your home": Konstantin Andreyev at the National Centre RUSSIA
Guests at the National Centre RUSSIA learned how to turn a
familiar route to school into a historical journey, a family trip into an
expedition, and how to begin a great voyage with the story of their own family
at the lecture "How to Become a Pioneer". The meeting was held as
part of the authorial cultural and educational project "Exploring Russia", timed to the exposition "Geography Lessons". The
speaker was Konstantin Andreyev, head of the Russian Geographical Society youth
club "MIG", the first winner of the all-Russian contest
"Znanie.Lecturer", and a museum educator.
"Young people who are only just entering adulthood
often lack an understanding of space. It is very important to know your country
not only through the route from school to home, but also in situations when we
travel beyond the city, the district, and our federal district. The more we
show what a modern young person can discover in the country, the greater their
mobility and creativity will be," said Konstantin Andreyev.
According to the expert, anyone can try themselves as a
researcher — it is enough to observe more carefully, ask questions, and not
confine oneself to the route "home — school — shopping centre".
"A very large proportion of young people are
homebodies. The standard format of leisure is, at best, going out into the
yard, but often it is just a phone and the limits of the flat. In such
situations, a person remains uncompetitive because they know little about the
opportunities our country offers," the speaker emphasised.
Guests learned about the method of "slow
immersion" — studying small towns, villages and natural areas through
observation and simple research actions such as measurements, working with
maps, and communicating with local residents. The expert also shared the story
of a craftsman who revived a local clay toy in the Kaluga village of Khludnevo:
he brought clay to elderly craftswomen, recorded all stages of production on
video, and thus passed this technology on to future generations.
"You may also face a situation in your life where you
will be the only ones able to preserve something important for culture and
history. After all, the future of our country depends on each of us,"
added Konstantin Andreyev.
The speaker emphasised that the starting point of a research
journey often lies in immersion in the past. As an example, he cited his search
for information about his great-grandfather, who was killed near Leningrad, and
shared plans to visit a place connected with this relative. In his view, the
starting point of an important route often lies in family conversations — for
example, about where one’s grandparents came from.
At the end of the meeting, participants were able to ask
their questions. They were interested in Konstantin Andreyev’s favourite trips
and future expeditions. The expert also answered a question about fears that
may arise during travel. He admitted that he is afraid of bears, although
during expeditions he is often in places where the likelihood of encountering
them is very high.
"You need to learn to overcome fear through knowledge.
When you know how to behave in different situations, you accept the rules and
act. It becomes easier to be in places where these bears roam. And, as Vasily
Peskov wrote, the most dangerous creature in the forest is a human being. That
is why it is important to learn to understand people and behave delicately in
places with a different culture — then travelling becomes much more
confident," the expert explained.
"Geography Lessons" is a project of the National
Centre RUSSIA. It is a journey through the centuries: from ancient scrolls to
digital maps, from the first geographical discoveries to the exploration of
space. Unique cartographic treasures from the country’s leading collections are
presented here. The exposition is aimed at popularising geographical knowledge,
fostering patriotism, and encouraging interest in the country’s multinational
character and cultural diversity. Designed for a family audience, the
exposition will run until 9 July.
The authorial cultural and educational project
"Exploring Russia" can be visited free of charge. The schedule of
events is published in the "Events" section. Stay tuned for updates.
Event photobank
On Monday, 4 May, the National Centre RUSSIA will be closed to visitors as the venue will hold its regular maintenance day.
Participants of the Young Tour Guides School of Russia project saw how a radio broadcast is born and met the presenters at Children's Radio.
