- Let me remind you that on January 31, 1946, an order was signed by the Presidium of the USSR Academy of Sciences to establish a facility of Academy of Sciences in Karelia. It is from this date that we trace our activities, – said Olga Bakhmet. – This year, we plan to have a great many anniversary events, conferences, seminars, and field studies, during which we will present our work and meet with colleagues from other scientific organizations.
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Karelia Elissan Shandalovich congratulated scientists on the Karelian Scientific Centre’s 80th anniversary and the upcoming Russian Science Day, and acknowledged the significant contribution of the Centre's employees to the development of Russian science and to the progress of Karelia.
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Karelia Elissan Shandalovich, KarRC RAS CEO Olga Bakhmet, and Director of RANEPA Karelian Branch Roman Pivnenko
- Thanks to your work, several districts of the republic are now included in the Arctic Zone, opening vast opportunities for the development of northern Karelia and the entire republic, – noted the leader of the republic's parliament as an example of the Centre's impact on the life of Karelia. – It is also thanks to you that Karelian petroglyphs have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Your research is crucial for preserving the Karelian language and culture, promoting forestry, protection of water resources, and the study of minerals. We value your competent judgment and you are always welcome at the Legislative Assembly for addressing the tasks most crucial for our republic.
Olga Bakhmet and Elissan Shandalovich
The regional government was represented at the session by the First Deputy Minister of Economic Development Alexander Lomako and First Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Aleksey Pavlov.
- Greetings on your professional holiday! Accept our deepest gratitude and congratulations! We wish you boundless energy and inspiration for future achievements and new research, - said Alexander Lomako in his address to the scientists. He also remarked that any management decisions aimed at the region's development are built upon the foundation created by the scientific community.
Taking the floor, Alexey Pavlov acknowledged the scientists’ constant regard for the tasks his ministry engages in to promote the environmental well-being of Karelia.
- Reforestation, conservation of unique water bodies, red-listed plant and animal species, climate change – these are the challenges we face daily. They underlie your work and are our guiding compass. We rely on your expertise to provide proficient and wise care for Karelia's nature, –summarized the Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment.
Celebratory joint session of Academic Councils at the KarRC RAS
Representatives of the Legislative Assembly and ministries presented awards to scientists and educators. This was followed by the awards ceremony for the winners of the KarRC RAS Young Scientists Competition. In 2025, ten best works in various categories were selected and their authors received diplomas and money prizes.
Mikhail Goldenberg, Director of the Republic of Karelia National Museum, then delivered a presentation titled "From a Regional Studies Museum to a Scientific Center," congratulating all scientists on their professional holiday. He emphasized the close ties between the National Museum and the Karelian Research Centre.
- From their very first days, the museum and science have acted as communicating vessels. And so they remain today, – explained Mikhail Goldenberg, taking the audience on a historical journey back to the beginning of the 20th century and even earlier, when the foundations of the state museum system were laid down in Karelia, followed by the formation of the local scientific community.
Mikhail Goldenberg, Director the Republic of Karelia National Museum
The Director of the National Museum expressed confidence that the fruitful cooperation, which takes a variety of forms, including research, exhibitions, and presentations, will be continued.
The celebratory session culminated in the presentation "Karelian Research Centre RAS: Achievements and Prospects (on its 80th Anniversary)" made by the KarRC RAS leader Olga Bakhmet.
She spoke about the background of the Karelian science, the foundation, initially, of the Karelian (Multidisciplinary) Research Institute and its Presidium, comprising third-party scientists, which was beneficial for the development of science in the republic. It was only after WWII, in 1946, that the Presidium of the USSR Academy of Sciences approved the structure, management, and composition of the Research Facility's Academic Council, thus setting the scene for the Karelian Research Centre.
Olga Bakhmet provided examples of historical studies and scientists’ current work, and outlined the prospects for the Karelian Research Centre.
- Naturally, our primary focus is basic research, which is our principal task. Yet, we simultaneously explore the natural and social systems of the Arctic zone to enable sane use of natural resources. We monitor aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems in order to understand how to manage them properly under the changing conditions, including climate change, and how to properly utilize our capabilities to preserve them. This certain implies the use of mineral resources as well as various modern methods for supporting culture. Our mission is to preserve the things we recalled today while also moving forward, – summarized KarRC RAS leader, wrapping up the celebratory session of the Academic Councils.
The anteroom of the Conference Hall where the session was seated accommodated two exhibitions. One was dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the KarRC, featuring documents and photographs from the Centre's Scientific Archives. The other one highlighted the current activities of the Karelian Research Centre. There, the guests were introduced to KarRC’s scientific publications spanning 2021 to 2025.