The BRICS Universe: International Photo Exhibition Opens in South Africa

The BRICS Universe exhibition opened in Iziko South African Museum in Cape Town on 26 September.

Russian Consul General in Cape Town Alexei Malenko welcomed the visitors and noted the importance of cultural and humanitarian cooperation within BRICS as one of priorities of Russia’s Chairship in 2024.

Welcome remarks were also extended by cosmonaut and Hero of the Russian Federation Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, Director of the Nizhny Novgorod Planetarium Galina Muromtseva, Director of Education of the Iziko Museums of South Africa Hylton Arnolds, and South African National Space Agency Science Educator Nthabiseng Moloi. The opening ceremony was also attended by the Consuls General of India, Brazil, China, Namibia and Angola, Chairman of Sekunjalo Investment Holdings Iqbal Surve, South African photographer and project participant Sindisiwe Molefe, and representatives of the South African business community, cultural institutions and government agencies, and representatives of Rosatom State Corporation in South Africa.

“Our exhibition stretches beyond new geographical horizons to uncover unexpected new perspectives with four other countries besides Russia participating and representing four continents: Brazil, China, India, and South Africa. Crossing Eurasia, South America, and Asia, we find ourselves on African soil today to consider a topic - space exploration - with potential to unite peoples and continents. Our exhibition is not just international – it is intercontinental,” Galina Muromtseva said. She also drew attention to the fact that one member of the project creative team, cosmonaut Ivan Wagner, rejoined the international crew on the space station on 11 September, where he would stay for the next six months.

“The Iziko South African Museum is proud to be a part of the BRICS Universe. The exhibition and the presence of our Russian colleagues here in Cape Town highlight the importance of the cooperation between our countries. Our educational events dedicated to the development of space and astronomy are founded on common goals and principles. We are well aware of the importance of such cooperation to establishing trust in our shared development of space,” Hylton Arnolds said.

A film shot on the International Space Station was also screened for exhibition visitors and accompanied by stories from team members about recent Russian achievements in space and a fascinating space quiz. The event wrapped up with cosmonaut and Hero of the Russian Federation Sergey Kud-Sverchkov signing autographs.

The BRICS Universe project won the August 2023 grant competition of the Presidential Foundation for Cultural Initiatives and was made possible by the efforts of the Nizhny Novgorod Grechko Planetarium, the Roscosmos State Corporation, the Creative Industries Foundation of the Ulyanovsk Region, and the ‘Russia–BRICS’ Project Office for International Youth Cooperation.

The project has been implemented under the auspices of the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO and included in the plan of events of Russia’s BRICS Chairship in 2024, managed by the Roscongress Foundation.

The project has involved 48 photographers from Russia and 41 from other BRICS countries, with the final selection including 20 images taken on Earth and 20 by the cosmonauts on the International Space Station. A total of 600 photos from all over the world were considered.

The international project kicked off at the Museum of Cosmonautics in Moscow on 1 February before journeying on to St. Petersburg (Russia), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Kargopol (Russia), Beijing (China), Nizhny Novgorod (Russia), Ulyanovsk (Russia), and Mumbai (India). The exhibition has welcomed approximately 200,000 visitors to date. Following Cape Town, the exhibition will visit one more city – Kazan (Russia).