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To Strengthen a Russian Cultural Presence Abroad

Director of the National M.A.Sholokhov Museum-Reserve, Alexander Mikhailovich Sholokhov, took part in the joined session of the Board for Support and Promotion of the Russian Cultural Heritage Abroad of the Rossotrudnichestvo Agency and the Presidium of the Union of Russian Museums, which was held on April, 2–6, in the Russian Scientific and Cultural Centre in Berlin.

The session was joined by the heads of the leading home institutions of culture and the representatives of the Russian scientific and cultural centres in Europe; it was aimed at an expert consideration of the points of strengthening the Russian cultural presence abroad and formation of new large-scale projects using the potential of the Russian scientific and cultural centres all over the world.

The members of the session were welcomed by the head of the Rossotrudnichestvo Agency, Konstantin Kosachov, President of the Union of Russian Museums, director of the State Hermitage, Mikhail Piotrovsky, the advisor to the President of the Russian Federation, President of the Russian Committee of the International Council of Museums, Vladimir Tolstoy, the Russian Ambassador in Federal Germany, Vladimir Grinin.

Vladimir Grinin noted the importance of the mutual influence and penetration of cultures between Russia and Germany that gave a new impetus for the Russian–German museum dialogue.

Konstantin Kosachov informed the members of the session about the activity of the Rossotrudnichestvo Agency in promoting the Russian cultural heritage abroad, about the opportunities for development of bilateral relations between the Russian and foreign museums, centres of the Rossotrudnichestvo Agency, spoke about the Board on Promotion and support of the Russian Cultural Heritage Abroad, which was set up at the Agency and is co-chaired by the President of the Russian Union of Museums, Mikhail Piotrovsky.

In his speech Mikhail Piotrovsky said that for the past 20 years the Russian Museums had broadened their presence in the world, “besides, our museums often join efforts for the development of their contacts with foreign partners”.

Vladimir Tolstoy stressed the importance and timeliness of the session, which clearly demonstrates the benefits of bilateral museum exchanges, interest in strengthening cooperation with foreign partners in the field.

The program of the session included a round table talk “The Use of the Potential of the Russian Museums and Libraries in the Programs for Support and Promotion of the Russian Cultural Heritage Abroad”, meetings with German colleagues, representatives of the Russian Cultural Heritage Fund, state museums of Berlin, palaces and parks of Potsdam, German-Russian Museum “Berlin-Karlshorst”, the meeting of the leaders of representations in Europe. The delegation learned about the system of storage and accounting of the Archaeological Centre of the Egyptian Museum, the results of building, reconstruction and new expositions of the new Museum / the Early and Ancient History Museum, visited the repositories and restoration workshops of the Picture Gallery and the State Institute of Museum Research. The delegates discussed the questions of broadening the Russian cultural and humanitarian presence in the world, development of the international cooperation in the field of science, culture and art.

At the regional meeting of the leaders of the Rossotrudnichestvo representations in Europe, held in the Russian Scientific and Cultural Centre, the head of the Agency, Konstantin Kosachov, said that the Agency had developed a program for 2013–2015 aimed at improving the image of Russia in foreign countries.

The program events were followed by a grand reception given in the Embassy of Russia.

Galina Zhidkoblinova