Polar Explorer's Day should become a national holiday and be marked in all regions of the country, Alexander Potekhin, member of the Association of Polar Explorers (ASPOL) Council, believes.

"Establishing a national holiday by presidential executive order would serve to promote the national Arctic idea," Potekhin said. On behalf of the Spiritual, Cultural and Natural Heritage of the Association of Polar Explorers commission, Potekhin asked the ASPOL Council to address Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev with a proposal to mark the holiday in all regions of Russia.

Polar Explorer's Day was established by presidential executive order and is marked on May 21. On this day in 1937, the first polar explorers led by Ivan Papanin reached the North Pole and built the drifting research station, North Pole 1.