President of Russia: Vladimir Putin delivered speech at the XV Congress of the Russian Geographical Society in Moscow

In Moscow, in the Lomonosov Moscow State University started the XV Congress of the Russian Geographical Society.

It involves the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Company, the President of Russia Vladimir Putin, the President of the Russian Geographical Society Sergei Shoigu, 226 delegates from across the country and honored guests.

The Congress is the supreme governing body of the old social organization of the country. It involves delegates of elected regional and local offices of the Company, members of the Governing Board, the representatives of the Academic Council, the Council of Elders and the Council of Regions of the Russian Geographical Society.

The report of the Organization for 2010-2014 was delivered by the President of the Society, Sergei Shoigu.

The Congress was welcomed by 11 friendly geographical societies of the world - Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Spain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Serbia, Turkey and the Czech Republic.

The President of Russia Vladimir Putin thanked the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Sergei Shoigu for the work as president of the Russian Geographical Society (RGS) in prior years. "These years, no doubt, go down in history as the Russian Geographical Society renaissance. The time when it again became glorious tradition demanded and received further development and activity - gained a new momentum and new content", - said Vladimir Putin. Sergei Shoigu is newly elected president of the Russian Geographical Society. According to the amendments to the charter, adopted at the Congress of the society of today, he would hold the post for six years.

The President recalled that all the tasks set five years ago at an extraordinary congress of the Russian Geographical Society in Moscow, have been implemented. Thus, to date the Company has a network of offices in all regions of the country, the headquarters in St. Petersburg recovered its historical appearance, saved rich archive, library and collections of the RGS. "Moreover, they are made available to people, and most importantly - they are constantly replenished", - said Vladimir Putin.

According to the President, for the last five years were restored ethnographic and environmental committees, was resumed publishing activity of the RGS. "In fact, the second birth has received research work and expeditions. The intensity here is probably quite comparable to the most fruitful period in the life of the RGS of late XIX-early XX century", - said Putin.