From now on, the icy continent can be found in Odessa: since July 22, 2021, the interactive exhibition “Summer Journey to Icy Antarctica” is opened in the Odessa National Scientific Library. It is dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the transfer to Ukraine of the Faraday Antarctic Station from Great Britain.

This year we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the raising of the Ukrainian flag in Antarctica and the beginning of the history of the already Ukrainian Antarctic station "Academician Vernadsky". It was before this significant date that our photo exhibition was created, which was exhibited for the first time in the Office of the President of Ukraine and was personally opened by Volodymyr Zelensky.

Director of the National Antarctic Research Center (NASC) Yevhen Dikiy

The exhibition presents 25 large historical and modern photos about Antarctica and the work of Ukrainian polar explorers, 3D photo area, videos about the nature of the ice continent, polar artifacts and more.

It is no coincidence that in Odessa the exhibition is hosted by the Odessa National Scientific Library, because if people work at Vernadsky Research Base to gain knowledge, it is a place to convey this knowledge and scientific truths to people. Now we have a very harmonious combination: the oldest place for the transmission of scientific knowledge and a unique place where this knowledge is extracted.

We are very glad that we had the opportunity to host such an unusual Antarctic exhibition, because it is important for libraries to participate in educational activities. During the time of the exhibition in our library, we will definitely involve as many people as possible, including groups from children's camps, rest homes, etc.

Director of the Odessa National Scientific Library Irina Biryukova.

The exposition will work in the Odessa National Scientific Library from July 22 to August 31, 2021. Free admission.

It will be recalled that February 6, 2021 marked the 25th anniversary of the transfer of the Antarctic station from Great Britain to Ukraine. It was on this day in 1996 that a blue-and-yellow flag was hoisted over the Faraday station, and its name was changed to Vernadsky Research Base.

Only 30 countries have their year-round research bases in Antarctica. For Ukraine, in addition to prestige on the world stage, it is also a great "window of opportunity": our scientists have the opportunity to join the study of problems on a global scale.

For 25 years, brave Ukrainian men and women have been going on annual expeditions to explore Antarctica, maintain continuous series of observations (some of which have been going on since 1947) and ensure the operation of the station.