Today, Heritage of the Yenisey North round table was held within the framework of the Siberian Historical Forum. The participants in the discussion turned to the history of World War II, talked about the role assigned to Krasnoyarsk in the events of that time, and also got acquainted with the project of the Park-Museum of the Development of the North, which is planned to be created on Molokov Island in Krasnoyarsk.

Craig Lang, co-founder and vice-chairman of the BRAVO 369 Flight Foundation, writer, instructor, speaker, member of the American Society of Composers, Writers and Publishers (ASCAP), took part in the event online.  Mr. Lang spoke about Alaska-Siberia (Alsib), an air route of the Second World War between the United States and the Soviet Union. It was along this route that the supply of weapons and ammunition from the United States to the Soviet Union was carried out under the Lend-Lease program. The main base for American aircraft was in Krasnoyarsk, and from here the aircraft were sent to the front airfields.

Craig Land stressed that the story of the interaction and cooperation between the United States and the Soviet Union during the war years remained untold until recently: “A lot of people in America, including diplomats, politicians and educators, have never heard of the Alaska-Siberia program. It is very important that we remember the history of our accomplishments.  It was a truly heroic act of the creators of the Krasnoyarsk section of Alsib who built in just a year what would have taken several times longer in peacetime. I am sure that the whole world should be proud of this.”

Few people know that Molokov island located in the centre of Krasnoyarsk was the very first air base of polar aviation in the USSR. Today the island is planned to locate a Park-Museum for the Development of the North, the project of which was presented by its artistic director Alexey Chebanenko within the framework of the round table.

“The Museum of the Development of the North will also house a monument to the heroes of Alsib. Among the thematic sections of the museum there are also personal stories of pioneers, heroes of military campaigns and research expeditions, the history of industrial development in the northern territories, and much more.”