Gagarin Science and Art Festival 2025 was officially inaugurated on yesterday at the Russian House in Dhaka to commemorate the 64th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s historic space flight.
Pavel A. Dvoychenkov, Director of the Russian House in Dhaka, delivered the opening remarks and warmly welcomed the guests. He highlighted Gagarin’s pioneering flight on 12 April 1961, describing it as the moment when “human civilization entered the space age,” ushering in a new era for humanity.
Mr. Dvoychenkov emphasized the strong educational, scientific, and cultural ties between Russia and Bangladesh. He pointed to ongoing projects such as the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant and acknowledged the contributions of more than 6,000 Bangladeshi graduates from Russian and Soviet universities, whose direct and active roles have significantly advanced Bangladesh’s development. He also appreciated Bangladesh’s growing interest in space science and astronomy, encouraging the youth to dream big and explore the mysteries of the universe.
The festival, jointly organized by the Bangladesh Astronomical Association aims to inspire scientific curiosity, creativity, and innovation among the youth through a series of week-long activities.
Following the opening discussion, Mr. Dvoychenkov officially inaugurated the photography exhibition "Russian Space Expeditions” followed by a screening of the documentary "Yuri Gagarin’s Parade After Returning from Space" and an astronomy workshop.
The main highlights of the week-long festival include Seminars and astronomy workshops; Rocket model-making competition; Quiz competition on space science; Painting competition on the theme "First Man in Space"
The festival will continue until 12 April 2025, culminating in a certificate distribution ceremony where the Director of the Russian House in Dhaka will award certificates to all participants.
Other guest speakers at the event paid tribute to Yuri Gagarin, calling him a “world hero” and an eternal symbol of human courage and curiosity.
In his concluding remarks, Mr. Dvoychenkov expressed his sincere gratitude to the Bangladesh Astronomical Association, the co-organizer of the event, as well as to the participants and guests. He encouraged everyone to continue their journey of exploration, reminding all that “the sky is not the limit—it is just the beginning.” He ended with an inspiring call: “Let’s move forward—together, towards the stars!”