Minister of Science and Higher Education Valerii Falkov congratulates his colleagues on Russian Science Day.

‘This is a special, unifying holiday for all of us. Outstanding discoveries of Russian scientists and engineers have repeatedly set the pace for scientific and technological progress of all mankind. We are the heirs of a huge intellectual tradition, internationally recognised scientific schools.

Today, we are celebrating the 300th anniversary of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Its history is a continuous preserving and gaining knowledge, understanding the laws of nature, and in the 20th century, a mighty industrial breakthrough of our country and truly incredible achievements, indulging into the most distant epochs and corners of the world, discovery of space and ocean depths, and immersion into the secrets of the atom and the earth crust.

Since the time of the Academy's founder, Emperor Peter the Great, Russian science has served as a reliable support for the country in the most difficult times. Dmitry Mendeleev developed plans for the industrial development of Donbass. Nikolai Pirogov used his knowledge to save the lives of defenders of the besieged Sevastopol, and Igor Kurchatov created an entire energy industry and provided the Soviet Union with strategic parity in nuclear weapons.

Our Nobel Prize winners are the pride of Russia. One of them is an outstanding chemist Nikolai Semenov, whose name is associated with the creation of the theory of chain chemical reactions.

The state has greatly supported you – projects as part of the Decade of Science and Technology, investments in the renewal of scientific facilities, new youth laboratories, and grants.

To devote oneself to science means to remain young forever. Always look beyond the horizon, continue setting new goals and achieve them, and live a high dream of truth. Science is a vocation, a life choice available to few.

I sincerely wish you new discoveries, inexhaustible energy, and creative inspiration!

Happy holiday, dear colleagues!’