Murmansk – A solemn departure ceremony for the international Icebreaker of Knowledge expedition was held in Murmansk.
Captain of the nuclear-powered icebreaker 50 Let Pobedy Ruslan Sasov issued the order to set sail, and the ship set off on its route from Murmansk to the North Pole, Franz Josef Land, and back to Murmansk.
The total duration of the expedition will be 10 days.
During the voyage, participants will explore the nature of the Far North, observe the operation of a nuclear-powered icebreaker, and learn more about the role of nuclear technology in the development of Arctic shipping.
The students will bring their countries’ flags to the North Pole, making the moment of reaching the 90° mark particularly symbolic.
Beyond the journey itself, the voyage will give students from around the world a rare opportunity to see the Arctic with their own eyes and become part of an international community of young researchers united by an interest in science, technology and the future.
“The Arctic is a place of power, where the most ambitious ideas are born and brought to life.
This is where bold and active people who are ready to build a better future come.
The Icebreaker of Knowledge is taking exactly these kinds of children to the North Pole.
And we are proud that our nuclear-powered icebreaker fleet – the only one of its kind in the world – provides them with this opportunity.
On board the nuclear-powered ship 50 Let Pobedy, the students will learn about technologies they won’t see anywhere else.
“We want to harness the energy of the best young minds to advance science and protect the planet. This energy is the main driver of progress,” emphasised Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev.
The competition for a place on board lasted months and drew about 5 000 students from 22 countries, including South Africa, Namibia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Egypt, Armenia, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bolivia, Brazil, Hungary, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Myanmar, Serbia, Turkey, and Uzbekistan.
The selection process unfolded in three stages: a science quiz, a series of webinars with nuclear industry experts, and a final round in which 10 finalists per country presented creative projects on the theme “How Nuclear Technologies Are Changing the World Today.”
For Ntsako Sithole, the finalist selected to represent South Africa, the experience is already proving transformative.
Sithole remarked: “To find yourself so far from home, amid ice, snow and polar nature… But perhaps that’s exactly the magic of opportunities like this. You suddenly realise that the world is far bigger than you are used to seeing it, and that you too have a place in it”.
He also shared: “I want to live this expedition to the fullest: to watch, to listen, to ask questions, to remember every detail, and to believe that even the most distant points on the map can one day become reality.”
Once aboard, that anticipation gives way to a packed educational programme that kicks off on the very first day.
Participants can look forward to lectures, workshops, discussions, scientific experiments, career counseling, creative activities, as well as memorable symbolic events – from postcards sent from the northernmost post office to a “round-the-world journey” at the point where all meridians intersect.
Beyond the science curriculum, the voyage also has a creative dimension: popular performers and bloggers, as well as the well-known Russian science fiction writer Sergey Lukyanenko, will be special guests on the voyage. ‘
During the Arctic expedition, he will lead a creative workshop for the participants: the author will provide an intriguing opening for a science fiction story, and the students will propose their own versions of the ending.
Following the expedition, the complete collaborative work will be officially published.
South Africa already has experience in the Icebreaker of Knowledge programme – young citizens of the country have made this journey to the Arctic before, each one bringing a piece of home to the ice and returning with stories that inspire others to follow.
Sithole now follows in their footsteps, with a rare chance to explore STEM disciplines up close, broaden his view of the world, and connect with young researchers from every corner of the globe.
This voyage reflects the nation’s growing interest in nuclear technology and its long-standing partnership with Rosatom – from fuel supply to floating power plants.
For a young man standing at the top of the world, the message is clear: the future of energy is being written now, and he is ready to become part of that story.
Leading international experts will work alongside the expedition participants aboard the nuclear-powered icebreaker.
Among them are Project Manager at the Laboratory of Genomic Technologies and Tissue Engineering of JSC NIITFA Egor Plakhotnyuk; Deputy Chief Engineer of the Beloyarsk NPP Andrey Smelov; General Director of CONSIST-OS (IT integrator for Rosatom’s Electric Power Division) Ilya Kholkin; Director of Communications at the Brazilian Association of Nuclear Energy Jairu Silva Bastos; physician, science communicator and expert of the Mwanachuo Family Foundation of Tanzania Dr. Noel Rajabu Mabele; and Professor at the Department of Marine Biology, Cochin University of Science and Technology in India Dr. Bijoy Nandan.
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