Russian Navy CIC to open jubilee session of St. Petersburg Maritime Assembly

05.02.2010
Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky, Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief will take part in solemn meeting in honor of 100th anniversary of first in Russia Maritime Assembly.

According to press service of St. Petersburg administration, among attendants of festivities will be commanders of all four Russian fleets and Admiral Vyacheslav Popov, chairman of the Federation Council's Committee on National Maritime Policy.

President of St. Petersburg Maritime Assembly Nikolai Orlov previously reported that the anniversary celebration would start on Friday after noon fire of Petropavlovsk Fort's gun. According to him, "at this day Maritime Assembly will be rewarded with jubilee flag in accordance with order of Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief".

Investing of golden badges established by the assembly will also take place. The gorgets will be given to best members of the organization.

Mr. Orlov added that delegations from other Russian Maritime Assemblies were invited to jubilee session in St. Petersburg. "Our guests will come from Kamchatka, Vladivostok, Murmansk, Arkhangelsk, Novorossiysk and other assemblies", he said.

Jubilee session will consist of three parts. At first, formal meeting of members of Maritime Assemblies will be held in Petersburg's Hermitage Theater. Then guests will watch a celebratory concert. The session will be closed by official reception at Yekaterininsky Palace in Tsarskoye Selo.

St. Petersburg Maritime Assembly was established in February 1910 at the direction of Russian Emperor Nicholas II. Totally, there were 10 maritime assemblies created thereafter; three out of them were founded in St. Petersburg. In 1917 after October Socialist Revolution, assemblies shut down their activities.

St. Petersburg Maritime Assembly revived on March 29, 1995. As it was 200 years ago, the Assembly is governed by Council of Chairmen. In April 1996 the council made a decision to establish a post of the President of Maritime Assembly. Nikolai Orlov was elected to this position by a unanimous vote; he had become the third President of Maritime Assembly since its foundation in 1910.

Presently, the organization numbers over 500 members; 28 out of them are highest military and naval officials. Among the Assembly members are shipbuilders, ship repairman and shipowners.

St. Petersburg Maritime Assembly founded scholarships for best cadets of naval schools and academies; it sponsors purchase and publishing of educational materials. The organization also renders social and financial assistance to veterans of Russian Navy.

Source: Interfax, photo: 31st session St. Petersburg Maritime Assembly (morskoe-sobranie.ru)