Russia has instituted a prize honoring famous polar explorer Nikolai Kornilov.

Legendary Soviet and Russian polar explorer Nikolai Kornilov was born on June 5, 1930 and would have celebrated his 90th birthday today. Kornilov spent his entire life studying the Arctic and Antarctica and headed the North Pole 10 drifting research station. He was the first to suggest that Polar Explorer Day be established as a professional state holiday in Russia.

The national prize Two Poles honors his achievements and aims to monitor the implementation of national projects in the Arctic region, to provide media support for and promote these projects, and to encourage their participants.

The prize has 12 categories: Medicine, Quality of Life, Ecology, Science, Education, Industry, Agriculture, Infrastructure Development, Digital Economy, Tourism, International Cooperation and Exports, and Social Initiative.

Each category has the following sub-categories: Project, Goods/Services, Idea/Invention.

Members of the competition's expert council, including leading scientists, government officials and prominent public activists, will select the winning projects.

Companies, regardless of their form of ownership, from all countries of the Eurasian Economic Union operating in the Russian Federation under current legislation can take part in the competition. All participants must fill out the application form on the official Kornilov Prize website.

The award ceremony and a presentation of the best projects are scheduled for December 11, 2020. They will be held at Polyus Hall, part of the Moscow International Business Center, and will involve representatives of embassies of Arctic Council countries, Russian state agencies, the academic and business communities, and public and professional organizations.