On May 8, 2026, on the eve of Victory Day, a commemorative event dedicated to the legendary Alaska–Siberia (AlSib) air route (1942–1946) was held in Yakutsk at the Yuri Gagarin Square. The event was organized by the Northern Forum Schools Association and the Chiriayev Yakutsk City National Gymnasium.
On May 8, 2026, on the eve of Victory Day, a commemorative event dedicated to the legendary Alaska–Siberia (AlSib) air route (1942–1946) was held in Yakutsk at the Yuri Gagarin Square. The event was organized by the Northern Forum Schools Association and the Chiriayev Yakutsk City National Gymnasium.
Participants and guests gathered near the monument featuring a replica of the P-39 Airacobra fighter aircraft, followed by an official ceremony with remarks from honored guests. Among the invited speakers was Anastasia Bozhedonova, who represented the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) at the Northern Forum Secretariat in Anchorage (USA) from 1999 to 2013 and founded the Northern Forum Schools Partnership projects "Life in the North School" and "AlSib: The Route of Courage and Mutual Aid." She shared the history of this international initiative and highlighted the profound importance of preserving the memory of the aircraft delivery operations.
Daryana Maksimova, Deputy Executive Director of the Northern Forum, noted the significant role such events play in strengthening intergenerational bonds. Entrepreneur Peter Clark addressed the attendees with warm words about cooperation; the English translation of I.E. Negablya’s book on the Alaska–Siberia route, presented by Mr. Clark, serves as a powerful testament that this heroic feat is remembered well beyond Russia's borders. Alexander Kugaevsky, Advisor to the Rector of NEFU and a Northern Forum Goodwill Ambassador, underscored the significance of the AlSib route as an enduring symbol of courage.
The solemn event brought together students from five schools: the Olesova Tarat Secondary School (Tarat village, Megino-Kangalassky District), alongside members of the Northern Forum Schools Association—the Chiriayev Yakutsk City National Gymnasium, the Osipov Berdigestiah Secondary School with In-Depth Study of Individual Subjects (Berdigestiah village, Gorny District), the Artamonov Khamagatta Sakha-French Lyceum (Krest-Kytyl village, Namsky District), and Yakutsk City Classical Gymnasium No. 8.
The commemoration concluded with a traditional wreath-laying ceremony at the memorial complex. Participants paid tribute to the memory of everyone who facilitated the unprecedentedly complex transfer of aircraft from the United States to the Soviet Union, expressing deep gratitude to the veterans and home front workers whose wartime efforts paved the way to Victory.
The event reaffirmed that Northern Forum projects, which bridge schools and public organizations, play a pivotal role in preserving historical truth and educating the younger generation through the examples of a heroic past.
