Around 5,000 schoolchildren from 22 countries competed in the international selection to take part in the voyage: Armenia, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bolivia, Brazil, Hungary, Vietnam, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Myanmar, Namibia, Rwanda, Serbia, Tanzania, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, and South Africa.
«I have always been truly fascinated by everything connected with discoveries, research, and how science helps people push the boundaries of what is possible. It is a great honor for me to represent Belarus in such a project. I am very much looking forward to seeing the Arctic with my own eyes, talking to experts and kids from different countries, asking dozens of questions, and finding new guiding points for myself,» said Tikhon Korneenko, a participant in the project from Belarus, a student at Alferov Gymnasium No. 1 in Vitebsk
The expedition set off from Murmansk on the 50 Years of Victory nuclear icebreaker and will last 10 days. After leaving port, the vessel will pass through the Barents Sea into the high latitudes of the Arctic, proceed in the area of the Franz Josef Land archipelago, reach the geographic North Pole, and then return to Murmansk. During the voyage, participants will become acquainted with the nature of the Far North, see the operation of a nuclear icebreaker, and learn more about the role of nuclear technologies in the development of Arctic shipping. The schoolchildren will deliver the flags of their countries to the North Pole.
From the very first day on board, a rich educational program will commence. Participants will be treated to lectures, masterclasses, discussions, scientific experiments, career consultations, creative activities, as well as symbolic events: from postcards sent from the northernmost post office to a «round-the-world journey» at the point where all meridians intersect. Leading international experts will work with the expedition participants on board the nuclear icebreaker.
Special guests of the voyage will be popular artists and bloggers, and also the renowned Russian science fiction writer Sergei Lukyanenko. During the Arctic expedition, he will hold a creative workshop for the participants: the author will provide an intriguing opening for a science fiction story, and the schoolchildren will propose their own versions of the ending. Following the expedition, the complete collaborative work will be officially published.
«The Arctic is a place of power, where the most ambitious ideas are born and realized. It attracts bold and active people who are ready to build a better future. The Icebreaker of Knowledge is carrying exactly such young people to the North Pole. On board, the schoolchildren will get to know technologies they will not see anywhere else. We want to harness the energy of the best young minds for the sake of scientific development and the preservation of our planet. This energy is the main driver of progress,» said Alexey Likhachev, Director General of the Rosatom State Corporation
The scientific and educational project Icebreaker of Knowledge is organized with the support of the Rosatom State Corporation. It is aimed at popularizing natural sciences and nuclear industry technologies, searching for and supporting talented and gifted children, developing their abilities, and providing career guidance. The project involves schoolchildren and students of secondary specialized education programs aged 14-16 from around the world, with the best of them setting off on the expedition to the North Pole.
The international selection began on 5 May and consisted of three rounds. In the first round, participants answered questions in a science quiz, where they could test their knowledge in the fields of natural sciences, breakthrough technologies, nuclear energy, and Arctic exploration. The second round included a series of webinars from nuclear industry experts. Participants were told about Rosatom’s advanced solutions, including technologies used for the safe and sustainable development of Arctic shipping, and the role of nuclear energy in the future of the global economy and science. Based on the total scores from both rounds, 10 finalists were selected from each country, who advanced to the final round and presented creative works on the theme «How Nuclear Technologies Are Changing the World Today». In the final, the participants were expected not only to demonstrate knowledge of the topic but also to show the ability to think outside the box, build persuasive arguments, and present material in an engaging way. The finalists’ works were evaluated by an international jury, which included representatives of the nuclear industry, science, education, the Arctic agenda, and scientific communications. A record number of applications came from Kazakhstan (945 participants), Kyrgyzstan (827 participants), and Belarus (464 participants). Bangladesh and Myanmar were also among the leaders in activity this year.
Over the six seasons of the Icebreaker of Knowledge project, more than 400 talented schoolchildren from different countries around the world have become participants in Arctic expeditions to the North Pole.
