On April 10, 2012 a meeting of the Guardianship Board of the Russian Geographical Society (RGS) took place in St. Petersburg. During the meeting, for the first time in history the RGS accepted as a member a legal entity – Fund for Protection of Lake Baikal (FPLB).

Chairman of the RGS Guardianship Board V. Putin, President of the RGS S. Shoigu, and First Vice-President of the RGS N. Kassimov took part in the meeting. V. Putin presented the certificate of admission to the collective members to Mikhail Slipenchuk, Chairman of the FPLB Guardianship Board.

In his speech V. Putin said: “The RGS has had a strong patriotic supply of energy since its inception. Society initiatives gathered the brightest and most educated men of that time, unselfish enthusiasts, real devotees, sincerely loved their, our Motherland. And, of course, benefactors have always played a special role in the activity of the RGS. It is their support has made possible hundreds of expeditions and research projects that have made an enormous contribution to the development of our country”.

In conclusion, V. Putin thanked all those present for the assistance of the RGS and suggested that the next meeting should be held in the expedition, for example, at Lake Baikal: “We could together see how the work that we fund goes on, estimate the results of what has been done recently in the field conditions, and think about how we will work further”.

The meeting was marked by another unique event – the signing ceremony of the American Globe pilots and researchers. The legendary Soviet cosmonauts V. Tereshkova and A. Leonov put on it their signatures. Earlier, Globe has never left the borders of the United States. In his speech, President of the American Geographical Society Jerry Dobson said that this was possible only with the support of Maecenas and the State Duma deputy Mikhail Slipenchuk.

President of the RGS S. Shoigu, Chairman of the RGS Guardianship Board V. Putin, and First Vice-President of the RGS N. Kassimov

Chairman of the RGS Guardianship Board Vladimir Putin

V. Putin presented the certificate of admission to the collective members to M.Slipenchuk

President of the American Geographical Society Jerry Dobson