News

13 November 2021

5th National Congress of Cultural Studies

On November 9, 2021, fellows of our Chair took part in the 5^th National Congress of Cultural Studies ‘Cultural Heritage: from Past to Future’. D.Spivak served as co-moderator of session ‘International Studies and International Cooperation in Cultural Issues’. In its framework, a talk on ‘International Projects and UNESCO Platforms in Silk Way Studies’ was given by A. Alekseyev-Apraksin, who is a professor of our Chair. A.Venkova served as co-moderator of session ‘Museum Issues in Cultural Studies’. M.Stepanov served as co-moderator of a session dedicated to present-day digitalization, and gave there a talk ‘Perception Limits in Digital Culture’. The Congress provided plenty of possibilities for us to present basic issues in cultural strategy of UNESCO, and discuss its most actual perspectives, especially in the realm of cultural rapprochement.
8 September 2021

International Religious Forum

On September 6^th, 2021, our chair took part in International Religious Forum, which took place in St.Petersburg, Russia (for program, see Petersburg International Religious Forum – St. Petersburg International Religious Forum (spirf.ru). About 150 religious leaders and scholars from Russia, EU, USA, UK, countries of Central Asia, Arab countries and Indonesia took part, both offline and online, in the rally, which was dedicated to Spiritual Activities in Times of Pandemic. Our chair was represented by D.Spivak, who gave an invited talk on Interfaith Dialogue in Times of Pandemic in UNESCO strategy.
9 June 2021

Peter the Great Cup Rowing Competition

On June 9, 2021, a new rowing competition was conducted in the historical centre of St.Petersburg, Russia. Its main purport consisted in reviving a tradition which forms an integral part of the intangible heritage of the city of St.Petersburg. It was a rowing competition initiated by tsar Peter I about three hundred years ago, basing mainly upon the Dutch traditions, as well as the English ones. Three teams of rowers competed in rowing six-oared skiffs around the Hare Island, where the city was founded in 1703. Now the island is occupied by the historical Peter and Paul Forteress. The winners obtained Peter the Great Cup. Our Chairperson, D.Spivak, served as the head of the Organizing committee of the Competition.
9 June 2021

International Conference ‘Sustainable Development. Global Challenges’

On June 3, 2021, out Chair took part in International Conference ‘Sustainable Development. Global Challenges’, which was conducted at the premises of the Polytechnical University of St.Petersburg, in the framework of the St.Petersburg International Economic Forum. Our report, entitled ‘Problem of Objectivation of Digital Cultural Heritage’, was presented by our scientific secretary, M.Stepanov, at session meeting ‘Digital Transformation. Actual Tasks, Digitization of Objects of Cultural Heritage’. The report was dedicated to basic issues in safeguarding heritage, included the shared one, as part of the present-day global agenda.
27 April 2021

Our UNESCO Chair Took Part in Interregional Festival of Social Projects

On April 15, 2021 scientific secretary of our Chair M.Stepanov took part as member of competition jury in the Interregional Festival of Social Initiatives, conducted this year under the motto ‘Mission of Safeguarding’. Its objective consists in tracing back and supporting initiatives of local young people in the realm of safeguarding objects of cultural heritage of St.Petersburg, including the Historical Centre of St.Petersburg, which forms integral part of the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Festival has been organized by the Committee of State Control, Usage and Protection of Landmarks of History and Culture of St.Petersburg. Our Chair takes part in the Festival as an official partner of the Committee.
23 April 2021

7th Annual Toksovo Readings

On April 16. 2021. the 7^th Annual Toksovo Readings took place, basing at the premises of the

V.Petrov Toksovo Educational Centre, situated in the vicinity of St.Petersburg, Russia. This year the Readings were dedicated to the 70^th anniversary of a prominent local poet Anatoly Ivanen, who died a few years ago. A number of local historians, educators, and writers took part in the meeting. Ivonen was born into a local Finnish family, was a student of the Toksovo Education Centre, to become later a renowned Russian poet. His creative production embodied, inter alia, rich and varied intuitions concerning cultural dialogue of both nations. As usual, the Readings took place under the auspices of our Chair. D.Spivak took part at the meeting, giving an introductory address.
16 April 2021

International web conference ‘Religious Institutions and Practices during the COVID Pandemics: Challenges and Answers’

On April 15. 2021, International Web Conference ‘Religious Institutions and Practices during the COVID Pandemics: Challenges and Answers’ took place, basing at the premises of Al Farabi Kazakh National University (Republic of Kazakhstan). Speakers included a number of prominent scientists and religious leaders from Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkey, India, Tadjikistan. Our chair was represented by three fellows, i.e. by D.Spivak, who served as invited moderator of a plenary session dedicated to influence of the pandemic upon the religious education; G.Seidova, who gave a brief talk on Shiite religious life in times of pandemic; and by L.Yerekesheva. who served as the chairperson of the conference.

Programme
13 April 2021

Spring meeting of the Coordination Committee of UNESCO Chairs of the Russian Federation

Spring meeting of the Coordination Committee of UNESCO Chairs of the Russian Federation took place in St.Petersburg, Russia, on April 12, 2021, basing at the premises of Peter the Great State Polytechnic University of St.Petersburg. The meeting was chaired by the Executive Secretary of the Commission of the Russian Federation, Ambassador G.Ordzhonikidze, and Head of the Coordination Committee, Mr. V.Egorov. Applications of five prominent Russian universities (State Oil Technical University of Ufa, State Aerial Technical University of Ufa, State University of Bashkiria, State Polytechnic University of Ivanovo and State University of Pyatigorsk) were discussed. Preparations at the national level for World Conference in Higher Education scheduled to take place in Barcelona, Spain, in October, 2021, were regarded, as well as a number of urgent matters. Our Chair was represented by D.Spivak, who served as official reviewer of one of the applications for the creation of new chairs, and took part in general discussion.

Photo: D.Spivak.
16 March 2021

Περὶ ἀρχῶν

A new exhibition of religious painting, entitled Περὶ ἀρχῶν (De principiis) was opened on March 13, 2021 at the art place ‘More Place’, situated in St.Petersburg, Russia. The exhibition presents paintings of a number of prominent present-day local painters – A.Smolovik, L.Astrein, A.Gostintsev, V.Zagorov, and M.Tserush, as well as a classic of Russian spiritual painting, B.Smirnov-Rusetsky. Alexei Smolovik served also as the Curator of the exhibition, conceptually related to the First Biennale of Christocentric Art, which currently takes place in Moscow. Russia. Our chair took part in the elaboration of the conceptual framework of the exhibition, formulating its basic message, which was presented at the main poster. The exhibition was most positively evaluated at the official site of the St.Petersburg Archdiocese of the Russian Orthodox Church (see: Открылась выставка “О началах” – сайт Санкт-Петербургской митрополии (mitropolia.spb.ru) (in Russian).
19 February 2021

15th International Conference ‘Humanity, Economics, Society in Times of Pandemic: Regional, Global, and Federal Aspects’

On February 12, 2021, out UNESCO chair took part in the 15^th International Conference ‘Humanity, Economics, Society in Times of Pandemic: Regional, Global, and Federal Aspects’, which was conducted in the city of Stavropol in Southern Russia, under the auspices of Institute for Rapprochement of Nations of Caucasus, Eurasian Club of Scientists, and International Pedagogical Academy. The conference was combined with International Forum ‘Peacemaking Potential of Islam in the Development of Interfaith Connections’. Our fellows, professor A.Buttaeva, and Dr. G.Seidova, served as members of the Organization Committee of the conference. They also gave invited talks, entitled “Quality of Islamic Education in Present-Day Daghestan, in the former case, and “Theological Heritage of Northern Caucasus as Factor Counteracting Extremism and Terrorism”, in the latter one. Dr. M.Stepanov, Academic Secretary of our chair, gave a talk dedicated to “Dialogue with the Screen: Problems of Digital Communications in Times of Pandemic”.