unesco

22 February 2019
Dimitri L. SPIVAK
Chair

Ph.D., Dr.Sc. (linguistics, psychology)

Head, Center of Basic Studies in the Realm of Culture, Russian Scientific Research Institute of Cultural and Natural Heritage, Moscow, Russia.
Principal Expert, Human Brain Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St.Petersburg, Russia. Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Cultural Research, St.Petersburg, Russia.

Basic areas of research:
Basic issues in culture, basic issues in tthe cultural strategy of UNESCO.

Basic publications:
- Dialogue and heritage in the cultural strategy of UNESCO // Culture and Dialogue (The Netherlands – USA), 2017, Vol.5, No.2, p.242-252;
- Christianity and Islam in the Context of Contemporary Culture: Perspectives of Interfaith Dialogue from Russia and the Middle East/ Eds. D.Spivak, N.Tabbara. – St.Petersburg / Beirut, 2009. – 287 p.;
- Metaphysics of St.Petersburg. Vol.1-3. – St.Petersburg: Aletheia, 2003-2005. – 1456 p. (in Russian);
- Altered States of Consciousness: Psychology and Linguistics. – St.Petersburg: Juventa Publishers; State University of St.Petersburg, 2000. – 296 p. (in Russian);
- Fundamental problems of cultural research / Ed. D.Spivak. Vol. 1–7. – Moscow-St.Petersburg: Novy chronograph, Eidos, Aletheia, 2008-2009. – 2990 p. (in Russian).
21 February 2019
21 February 2019
Alina V. VENKOVA
Deputy Chair

Ph.D. (theory and history of culture)

Associated Professor, Department of Theory and History of Culture, Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia,St.Petersburg, Russia.
Principal Expert,Center of Basic Studies in the Realm of Culture, Russian Scientific Research Institute of Cultural and Natural Heritage, Moscow, Russia.
Deputy Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Cultural Research, St.Petersburg, Russia.

Basic areas of research:

History and theory of contemporary art, basic issues in contemporary culture, visual culture,culturaldialogue.

Basic publications:
- Digital Body: New Visual Language// Media in Contemporary World. St.Petersburg:St.Petersburg State University. 2018. Vol. 2. P. 109–111.
- Identification Politics of MetamodernArt // Tomsk State University Journal of Cultural Studies and Art History. 2018. № 32. P. 203-213.
- Environments in Modern and Contemporary Art// International Journal of Cultural Research. 2018. № 4. P. 203–213.
- Spivak D.L., Venkova A.V., Stepanov M.A. Present-day tendencies in the development of intercultural and interfaith dialogue in the context of digital technologies // Derbent – City of Three Religions. Proceedings of The international scientific and practical conference. – Makhachkala, Alef, 2015. P. 277–281.
- Venkova A.V., Stepanov M.A. Experience of preservation of tangible and intangible cultural heritage in UNESCO strategies // Proceedings of International Conference ‘History and cultural heritage of Caucasian Albania in the context of human rights’. Baku, 2014. P.39–41.
- Spivak D. L., Venkova A. V., Stepanov M. A. Research on intercultural and interreligious dialog based on the UNESCO Chair on Comparative Studies of Spiritual Traditions, their Specific Cultures and Interreligious Dialogue // 1700th anniversary of the adoption of Christianity in Derbent as the state religion of Caucasian Albania: Proceedings of scientific conference (Derbent, November 14–15, 2013 / Ed. G. N. Seidova. Makhachkala: Alef, 2013. P. 40-45.
- «I» and the «Other» in Contemporary Visual Culture: Forms of Identity and Strategies of Recognition // Pluralisme et Reconnaissance / Pluralism and Recognition. Programme. – Paris: 5e Congrès des Chercheurs de l’Islam / 9e Congrès International sur la Philosophie et la Culture, 2006. P.25–27.
- Existentials and codes of the modern civilization: heading toward universalist paradigm // International Readings on Theory, History and Philosophy of Culture. Vol. 18. Differentiation and Integration of worldviews: Philosophic and Religious Experience. St. Petersburg, 2004. P. 101–113.
- The modern nomadism: a metaphor and a style of life // Cultural space of travelling. St. Petersburg, 2003. P. 334–336.
- Contemporary artistic experience: situationalism and dialogism // International Readings on Theory, History and Philosophy of Culture. Vol. 13. Ontology of Dialogue: Philosophic and Artistic Experience. St.Petersburg, 2002. P. 256–270.
- Technologies of artistic experience in the XX century art (Instrumental aspect) // International Readings on Theory, History and Philosophy of Culture. Vol. 11. Intellect, Imagination, Intuition: Reflections on horizons of consciousness (Philosophic and psychologic aspects). St. Petersburg, 2001. P. 177–188.
- Identity Construction in Postmodern Culture Condition // Reflections on self-consciousness development. Round Table discussion. – St.Petersburg: Eidos, 2000. – P. 94–96.
20 February 2019
Mikhail A. STEPANOV
Academic secretary

Ph.D. (ontology and epistemology)

Researcher, Center of Basic Studies in the Realm of Culture, Russian Scientific Research Institute of Cultural and Natural Heritage, Moscow, Russia.
Editor, International Journal of Cultural Research, St.Petersburg, Russia.

Basic areas of research: Media theory, theory and history of culture, media philosophy, technology art, epistemology.

Basic publications:
- Machines of abstraction. Or how to pass from the Subject to the Project? // GHREBH, Journal of Communication, Culture and Media Theory. Vol. 1, № 12 (2008): Sujeito, Mídia e Cultura. — Brasil — São Paulo. — ISSN 1679-9100.
28 November 2018

Competitions of secondary school students, related to the cultural strategy of UNESCO

In 2018, members of our Chair co-organized in several competitions of secondary school students, related to the cultural strategy of UNESCO or, took part in their jury. To name but a few, one of these competitions, entitled ‘I am a Renovator: Guarding the cultural Heritage Together’, was conducted in March 2018, basing at the facilities of college No.192 in St.Petersburg, Russia, under the auspices of the National Coordination Centre of UNESCO Associated Schools. Another one, called ‘UNESCO Workshop – National Objects of cultural Heritage’ was conducted in April 2018, basing on the facilities of college No.639, as part of the 4th International Forum of Social Initiatives of Young People «Just Act», under the auspices of the National Coordination Centre of UNESCO Associated Schools. The third one, entitled the 4^thAnnual Toksovo Readings took place in April, 2018, basing on the premises of Municipal Education Institution ‘Toksovo Education Centre’, under the auspices of our Chair and the Administration of the Municipal Institution ‘Toksovo Township’. In his introductory talk to the Readings, D.Spivak presented new trends in the organization of intercultural and interfaith dialogue, elaborated in the framework of UNESCO.
30 May 2018

4th National Scientific Conference ‘Present-Day Mass Media in Context of Information Technologies’

In May 2018, D.Spivak gave an invited plenary talk ‘Actual Issues in Media Text in the Framework of Cultural Strategy of UNESCO’ at the 4th National Scientific Conference ‘Present-Day Mass Media in Context of Information Technologies’, which was conducted basing on the facilities of the St.Petersburg State University of Industrial Technologies and Design. The talk comprised detailed analysis of interfaith issues in present-day media.
27 February 2018

Seminar Dedicated to Popularization of Objects of Cultural Heritage

In February 2018, A.Venkova took part as invited expert in a seminar dedicated to promotion of objects of cultural heritage, including objects of religious practices, which was organized by the Committee of State Control, Usage and Protection of Objects of Cultural Heritage of the Government of St.Petersburg, Russia. A.Venkova presented viewpoints and best practices elaborated and applied in the framework of UNESCO in this particular realm. Following the meeting, a Letter of Appreciation to the Chair was issued by the aforementioned Committee.
13 December 2017

A new paper on Cultural Dialogue in the strategy of UNESCO

Professor Dimitri Spivak’s new paper on intercultural dialogue in the cultural strategy of UNESCO, was recently published by one of the leading journals in the field, ‘Culture and Dialogue’,

The paper is mostly a result of internal discussions, conducted at the UNESCO chair in St. Petersburg, Russia, and of talks given to local students and societal activists, interested in the UNESCO policies, as well as discussions with our colleagues from other UNITWIN/UNESCO Network chairs.

Abstract
UNESCO is a scientific, educational, and cultural branch – or specialized agency, to speak in technical terms – of the United Nations organization, which has for the latest seventy years been instrumental in setting standards, promoting scientific research and societal discussions, and supporting innovations, both nationally and internationally. Intercultural dialogue has invariably served as a focal point of its manifold activities. Tracing back some of the basic issues in the elaboration of intercultural dialogue as well as the most actual trends in its development forms the main objective of the present paper. This account comes from years of experience as head of one of the well known and respected UNESCO research and educational chairs: Comparative Studies of Spiritual Traditions, their Specific Cultures and Interreligious Dialogue.1

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Chair

Deputy Chair

Academic secretary