Oskar Konyukhov: "My first geography teacher was my dad"

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Fedor Konyukhov is not only a renowned traveller and explorer but also his son’s first geography teacher, who instilled in him a love of travel and a romantic view of the world. Oskar Konyukhov spoke about this at the "Geography Lessons" plenary session held at the National Centre RUSSIA as part of the Forum of Geography Teachers and Students of Specialised Universities.

At the beginning of his speech, the Head of Fedor Konyukhov’s Expedition Headquarters, Oskar Konyukhov, shared the personal story that sparked his love of the subject.

"I was fortunate in life: my first geography teacher was my father, Fedor Konyukhov. So I had no chance of not falling in love with the subject. From childhood, he showed me the vast expanses of our immense country and took me to different parts of Siberia, the North and the Russian Far East. And do you know what he used to say? Geography should not be studied only from books: you also need to visit the places you read about," Oskar Konyukhov shared.

He also spoke about the team’s expedition projects, including those following the routes of Vladimir Arsenyev in the Primorye Territory: "For two seasons in a row, we have been studying how the natural environment of the Primorye Territory has changed. I was born in Nakhodka myself, so this subject is very close to me. I grew up reading Vladimir Arsenyev’s books. So when I follow the same route — ours is an equestrian expedition, and we travel on horseback, including through nature reserves where vehicles cannot go — you perceive everything in a completely different way. You have read about Arsenyev’s route in a book, and now you are here, seeing these rivers and these hills. Of course, it feels entirely different. You want to see what you have read about."

Speaking about his personal guiding principles, Oskar Konyukhov emphasised what he learns from his father as a traveller and mentor: "My father used to tell me and still tells me: 'Oskar, regardless of your age, your eyes must light up. You must remain a romantic.' And he sets that example himself. He is 75, yet our expedition planning horizon extends ten years into the future. His eyes still light up, so we have someone to look up to."

Answering a question about what an expedition can give a schoolchild that no map can convey, he spoke about the need to understand the geographical realities of a route in depth — from latitudes and the characteristics of oceans to terrain and currents — particularly when undertaking difficult and dangerous journeys.

At the end of his speech, Oskar Konyukhov recalled that Russia’s geography itself inspires exploration.

"Of course, we are proud of our country. First, it is the largest country in the world. When Chukotka wakes up, Kaliningrad is preparing to go to sleep. We have eleven time zones. We are located in two hemispheres at once — the Eastern and the Western. We have Europe’s highest mountain, Elbrus, and the world’s deepest lake, Baikal. We have the longest national border — around 60,000 kilometres. By comparison, the equator is around 40,000 kilometres long. When you read about all this, naturally, you want to immerse yourself even more deeply in studying your country and learn more about its landmarks and distinctive features," the expert concluded.

The Forum of Geography Teachers and Students of Specialised Universities was held at the National Centre RUSSIA on 25 June as one of the key events of the "Geography Lessons" exposition. More than 800 people from all federal districts took part in the forum, including schoolteachers, university lecturers, students, teaching methodology specialists, school heads and representatives of education authorities.