News

21 April 2020

UNESCO chair took part at a special program at a local TV channel

On April 19, our UNESCO chair took part at a special program at a local TV channel, which was dedicated to the observation of Easter in times of the pandemic. The program was issued as part of a national discussion, devoted to the problem, whether Orthodox Christians should be present at churches on the occasion of the night Easter mass, and to take part at a usual night procession or, to stay at home, practicing private / family prayer, in order not to take unnecessary risks. D.Spivak represented the academia, as well as UNESCO, recommending the audience to stay at home, basing upon dogmatic arguments, as well as historical and rational ones. His position was reiterated by a prominent local cleric.
20 March 2020

Spring session, 2020, of the Coordination Committee of UNESCO Chairs of the Russian Federation takes place now in the format of distant meeting

Session agenda includes primarily reviewing applications for the inauguration of new UNESCO Chairs. Some of the leading Russian universities intend to serve as their basic institutions, i.e.: Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technologies (Chair ‘Artificial Intellect’), Moscow; High School of Economics (Chair ‘Foresight Studies’), Moscow; P.Demidov State University of Yaroslavl (Chair ‘Urban Studies and Sustainable Development’); Russian Institute of Peoples’ Friendship (Chair ‘Present-day Languages, Migration, and Intercultural Communication’), Moscow; State University of Yugra (Chair ‘Indigenous People of Yugra in Context of Globalization’), Khanty-Mansiysk; International Academy of Business and Novel Technologies (‘Social, Ecological, Economic, Historical, Legal and Information Apects of Urban Development – Distant Inclusive Education for Preservation of Historucal Heritage of Cities’, Yaroslavl); P.Stolypin International Institute of Informatization and State Administration (Chair ‘Global Partnership in Education and Science for Sustainable Development’).Our Chair conducted detailed analysis of all seven applications, and presented its recommendations to the Coordination Committee.
14 January 2020

TV program dedicated to comparative overview of traditions of celebrating New Year

On January 13, 2020, the Chair was invited to take part in a TV program dedicated to comparative overview of traditions of celebrating New Year in various cultures of the world. D.Spivak served as keynote speaker of the 30-minute program created by LenTV channel in St.Petersburg, Russia (full version in Russian)
27 December 2019

Official Congratulation by Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO

Our UNESCO Chair has received official congratulatory letter issued by Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO, on the occasion of prolongation of the activities of the Chair for the next four-year period. As stated in the letter of December 11, 2019,signed by Executive Secretary of Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO, Ambassador G.Ordzhonikidze, the Chair is awaited to undertake new ‘interesting and constructive activities’.
23 December 2019

6th Toksovo Readings on Local History

On December 19, 2019, 6^thToksovo Readings on Local History took place in the town of Toksovo, situated at the North-West of the Russian Federation (http://www.toksovo-lo.ru/). As usual, the Readings were conducted under the auspices of UNESCO Chair on Comparative Studies of Spiritual Traditions, their Specific Cultures and Interreligious Dialogue (St.Petersburg – Moscow), basing on the facilities the local Educational Center (http://www.school-toksovo.ru/). This time, interfaith dialogue with Lutheran church formed the main topic of the meeting, as well as intercultural dialogue between local Russian and Finnish (Inkeri) population. A number of reports of local historians, writers, and representatives of the local Lutheran religious community, dedicated to various aspects of the 400 years of presence of Lutheran faith in Toksova and its environs, were presented. Pastor of the Toksova Lutheran congregation A.Ujmanen served as special guest of the Readings, which were resumed by a fine choir formed by local dwellers, which presented beautiful Christmas chorals in Russian and Finnish.
19 December 2019

Meeting of International Working Group ‘In Search of the Sun’

On December 25, 2019, International working group ‘In Search of the Sun’ met at Central Scientific Library of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan (Baku, Azerbaijan), in order to sum up and present main results of its activities for years 2018–2019. Researchers from various scientific institutes, state officials, representatives of various non-profit associations took part. Inter alia, list of historical and architectural monuments that are to be preserved and restored, according to the research of the ‘In Search of the Sun’ experts, were presented. Our UNESCO chair serves as a scientific partner of this project. Final Report (In Russian)
12 December 2019

New book ‘Fifth Toksovo Readings: Origins of the Orthodox Community at the Toksovo District’

A new book has been published under the auspices of our UNESCO Chair (‘Fifth Toksovo Readings: Origins of the Orthodox Community at the Toksovo District’ / Eds. V.Kudriavtsev, UNESCO Chair on Comparative Studies of Spiritual Traditions, their Specific Cultures and Interreligious Dialogue. – St.Petersburg: Renome, 2019. 196 p., in Russian and Finnish). The book is based upon materials of reports of local historians, writers and educators, as well as memories of some local dwellers, who took part in an annual conference conducted basing on the facilities of the local Educational Centre, regarding various aspects of history and present-day state of Orthodox Christians in North-Western Russia and Finland, as well as some actual aspects of interfaith dialogue.
10 December 2019

UNESCO Chair took part in the 5th Open City Festival ‘Culture-Traditions-Education’ for school students in St. Petersburg

On December 7, 2019, the 5th Open City Festival ‘Culture – Traditions – Education’ for school students was held in St. Petersburg as part of a project of the UNESCO Associated Schools Network.
The festival was dedicated to the International Decade for the Rapprochement of Cultures. This year the topic of the festival was: ‘World Open Air Museum – St.Petersburg: Intangible Aspect of World Heritage Sites – ‘Every House here sounds like Symphony’.
Fostering world culture of tolerance, basing upon cultural tradition of St.Petersburg, formed the focal point of the festival.
Secondary school #691, called “Neva School”, served as basic for the festival, accompanied by Committee on State Control, Use and Protection of Monuments of History and Culture of St.Petersburg.
The festival was attended by more than 110 students and 25 teachers, who represented 8 schools of the city of St. Petersburg.
The following nations were represented at the Festival this year: Germany, The Netherlands, India, Spain, Italy, Finland, France, Scotland, South Korea, Japan, and Russia.
Representatives of our UNESCO chair, A.Venkova and M. Stepanov, took part in the festival as members of the honorary jury.
6 December 2019

Prolongation of the activities of the Chair for the following four-year period

Having regarded and evaluated four-year activity report of UNESCO Chair on Comparative Studies of Spiritual Traditions, their Specific Cultures and Interreligious Dialogue, D.S.Likhachev Institute of Cultural and Natural Heritege Institute (Moscow-St.Petersburg, Russian Federation), accompanied by official letter of support signed by Director of the aforementioned Institute, V.V.Aristarkhov, UNESCO has taken decision to positively evaluate the activities of the Chair and to prolong it for the following four-year period, i.e. until November 2023. As it was emphasized in an official letter signed by Ms. S.Giannini, ‘…UNESCO Chair will continue to contribute to UNESCO’s priorities and strategy in intercultural dialogue, through its research, teaching, conferences and interuniversity exchange and partnerships. The Chair is invited to enhance its role in institutional capacity building, and to expand its collaboration with other institutions notably in the South’.
29 November 2019

The second annual national meeting of the Coordination Committee of UNESCO Chairs in Russia

The second annual national meeting of the Coordination Committee of UNESCO Chairs in Russia took place on November 29, 2019 at town Viatskoye, near the city of Yaroslavl, which forms an example of creative revitalization of a historical site. The program of the meeting was dedicated mainly to the discussion of applications for opening new UNESCO chairs, submitted by about a dozen of leading universities of the Russian Federation (Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technologies, High School of Economics, National University of Friendship of Nations, State University of Ryazan, State University of Yaroslavl, to name but a few). The intervention of Ms. I.Nichanian, a representative of UNESCO central office, who briefed the participants on basic results of the recent 40^thSession of UNESCO General Conference, formed a focal point of the meeting. Our UNESCO chair was represented by D.Spivak, Chair, who served as official reviewer of one of the applications, and took active part in general discussion.