By Mabel Adorkor Annang
Fourteen-year-old Kenneth Majdoub has made history as the youngest Ghanaian to reach the geographic North Pole after taking part in the sixth Nuclear Icebreaker of Knowledge international Arctic expedition.
Kenneth joined 65 other outstanding students from 21 countries on a 10-day journey aboard the vessel 50 Let Pobedy icebreaker, where nuclear science, exploration, and cultural exchange came together.
The initiative, organized with the support of Russia’s Rosatom State Corporation, aims to nurture young scientific talent, promote STEM education, and inspire future careers in nuclear and related fields.
Since its inception, more than 400 schoolchildren worldwide have participated in the project.
During the expedition, students attended lectures from leading nuclear and space scientists, conducted unique experiments possible only in the Arctic, and explored the design and operation of the nuclear icebreaker.
Rosatom and Roscosmos also used the extreme environment to test simplified rover models designed for planetary geological exploration.
Captain Ruslan Sasov of the 50 Let Pobedy praised the program, noting that “this is the second year in a row that the Arctic has been discovered not only by Russian children, but also by school students from around the world. Our crew is happy that we were able to show the expedition participants the North Pole and polar bears. You should see the emotions of children to understand the value of the Icebreaker of Knowledge,” added Ruslan Sasov.
He said his crew was delighted to show participants the North Pole and its wildlife, including polar bears.
For Kenneth, the experience was more than an adventure; it was a landmark achievement in his academic and personal journey, putting Ghana on the map of this prestigious scientific expedition.
“I’m happy to be part of this expedition and making Ghana proud. I learnt how the nuclear vessel is powered to break the ice,” he added.
The participants of the sixth international Arctic expedition were school students from 21 countries (Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Mongolia, Turkiye, Hungary, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, China, India, Vietnam, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Ghana, Namibia, South Africa, Bolivia and Brazil). The expedition’s scientific and educational program was developed by Rosatom’s Corporate Academy.
The expedition followed the route Murmansk — North Pole — Franz Josef Land — Murmansk. The geographic North Pole was reached on August 17, 2025.
The 2025 edition was particularly symbolic, coinciding with the 80th anniversary of Russia’s nuclear industry and the 500th anniversary of the first exploration of the Northern Sea Route.
