Preservation of Historical and Cultural Heritage and Historical Memory as a Tool for the Development of Scientific, Educational, and International Projects

Abstract

Work on the preservation of historical and cultural heritage and historical memory is the main goal of the Miklouho-Maclay Foundation for the Preservation of Ethnocultural Heritage. The author, a great-grandson and full namesake of the famous scientist-traveler Nikolay N. Miklukho-Maklai is the founder and the head of the Fund. In the article, the author argues the goals of the foundation and talks about its main projects in the initial period of activity (2017-2020). The materials presented in the article demonstrate how the preservation of the scientific and ideological heritage of the Russian scientist Nikolay N. Miklukho-Maklai contributes to the development of scientific, cultural, and educational projects, including international ones. During his numerous voyages to Oceania, Australia, and Southeast Asia in 1870, Miklukho-Maclay carried out extensive expeditionary work and gathered unique factual material, which allowed him to rightfully enter the history of the world science as an outstanding ethnographer, anthropologist, and naturalist of broad profile. He made significant contributions to various scientific disciplines and developed and substantiated the doctrine of equality of races and peoples. The article also discusses field expedition activities in the South Pacific today, contemporary Russian researchers, and their influence on the development of scientific projects and international scientific relations. The author talks about the expeditions of scientists of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, who conducted research on the territory of Papua New Guinea in the 20th century and shares his experience about the expeditions in the 21st century, organized by the Miklukho-Maklai Foundation. He shares his experience of the expeditions of the 21st century organized by the Miklouho-Maclay Foundation and the use of their results in the projects of the Foundation. The author presents in the article his vision of the prospects and role of the Foundation, the main mission of which is to preserve traditions, raise respect for the values and cultures of the peoples of the world, implement educational, scientific, and cultural projects to protect the historical memory. In addition, the author analyzes the prospects of bilateral relations between the Russian Federation and the Independent State of Papua New Guinea.