From 20 till 21 November the festive events commemorated to the 400th anniversary of the Arkhangelsk Seaport pilotage service are to take place.

In the framework of preparations for celebration of this milestone in the Russian history the Arkhangelsk Branch contributed to the publishing of “Arkhangelsk Ship Pilots” – the first book of the series “Pilots of Russia at Service of Homeland”. The book tells the story of pilotage emerging in the first seaport of Russia (being the only seaport for 150 years – from the second half of the 16th sentury till the beginning of the 18th century), it tells about the life and professional activities of the Arkhangelsk pilots and about the peculiarities of such a rare and specific profession as a pilot.

Besides, the Arkhangelsk Branch has taken an active part in organization of the exhibition “Pilotage service in Arkhangelsk: documents, facts, objects”, and has also recently conducted pilot’s readings on the topic “Role and importance of Arkhangelsk pilots for development of navigation in the Muscovite Russia, Soviet Russia and the Russian Federation”.

The Arkhangelsk Branch has awarded certificates, prizes and letters of gratitude to the winners and participants of the open regional historical and patriotic competition “Pilots of Russia at Service of Homeland”. The competition was commemorated to the anniversary and was organized by the Ministry of Education of Russia, the Ministry of Culture of Russia and state budget children additional educational institution “Palace of Children and Youth Activities” (Arkhangelsk Region).

Celebration is to start on 20 November in the Northern Marine Museum, where the FSUE “Rosmorport” and Arkhangelsk Branch management will meet veterans of pilotage and descendants of pilot dinasties, including the Arkhangelsk Branch pilots.

The major festive event will be held on 21 November and will start with solemn prayers in the Nikolskaya Church of Arkhangelsk in honour of pilots who are alive and in memory of those, who are gone and have consecrated all their lives to the profession of a pilot.

On the same day a ceremony of laying a stone for the monument to the pilots of Russia commemorated to the 400th anniversary of the Arkhangelsk pilotage service will take place at the intersection of the Northern Dvina quay and Voskresenskaya Street in Arkhangelsk.

The last festive event to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the pilotage service of Russia is to take place in the State Regional Dramatic Theater named after M.V. Lomonosov and will be atended by pilots with their families, pilot veterans, descendants of pilot dinasties, guests and students of local marine institutions.