Crew members named August 6 as Public Diplomacy Day in Dunkirk. The travelers talked to local yachtsmen, as well as representatives of the Russian house of science and culture in Paris. In addition, team members visited Dunkirk Port Museum, where they learned history of the city and boarded a historic ship «Duchess Anne». On August 7, the travelers continued their acquaintance with the city and witnessed a demonstration in french Dunkirk.
The morning of August 6 began for Evgeniy and Stanislav with communication with the Dunker yachtsmen. Marine colleagues examined the cruise of the travelers with interest, talked about Russia and signed the piece flag. Soon Marina Ignatieva, head of the department of science and interaction with universities of the Russian house of science and culture in Paris, arrived at the port, and the expedition went with her to the meeting place. It should be noted that chosen place was very unusual and symbolic — the hold of the historical sailing ship «Duchess Anna».
As part of the Dunkirk Port Museum, the ship is a symbol of the city and has status of a historical monument. The sailboat was built in Germany as a training ship and launched in 1901. Before World War II, it had sailed under the name «Grand Duchess Elizabeth», and after the war, it went to France and was renamed. In the second half of the twentieth century, it was discarded twice for scrap, but it was bought for a symbolic amount of one franc and reconstructed. Since 1982, the restored sailboat has been in the port of Dunkirk.
On the board of “Duchess”, Evgeny and Stanislav talked about the expedition “On the way of Russian round-the-world sailors”, sang the circumnavigation anthem, and exchanged pennants with the port of Dunkirk. Besides the sailboat travelers visited other objects of the museum and listened about the history of the port city.
Evgeniy and Stanislav spent their evening in the home of an international family — Julia and Pascal. A married couple, whom the travelers got to know in the morning, helped the crew to find all the elements needed to reinforce the construction of trimaran and invited to spend the evening in their boat. Julia and Pascal have been married for 10 years, before the wedding they had known each other for 10 more years. Julia moved to France from Arkhangelsk, while once attended a conference here. Pascal is a university teacher who also took part in the conference. That’s how the couple met.
On August 7, Evgeny and Stanislav continued to get acquainted with Dunkirk and visited some local sights. The travelers visited the Belfry Tower — former bell tower of the Church of Saint Eligius (Saint-Helois). The tower was built in 1440 and is a UNESCO heritage, made in the Gothic style. The height of the beffroy is 58 meters.
Church of Saint Eligius 
Dunkirk view 
Dunkir City Hall 
Beffroy
“The Church of Saint Eligius, which is opposite the Belfry Tower and once constituted one complex with the tower, amazes with its ancient beauty,” — Evgeny said.
Walking down the streets of Dunkirk, travelers witnessed a demonstration:
Evgeny Kovalevsky and Stanislav Berezkin report operational information to the Coastal Center.
Elizaveta Shaimbaeva
