MGIMO Historical Ball held at Presidential Library

On April 22, 2024, the grand ball of the Gorchakov Lyceum of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation (MGIMO University) took place in the Column Hall of the Presidential Library, which is located in the historical building of the Synod Ministry.

Holding a ball on Senatskaya 3 is already becoming a tradition – the first ball in the Presidential Library was held in April 2023.

The event, organized by the Gorchakov Lyceum of MGIMO, was attended by high school students from different regions of the country. This year, they were joined by pupils of the Nakhimov Naval School. The historical ball requires considerable preparation: participants need not only to learn traditional ballroom dancing, but also to learn about the culture of the Russian ball.

Director General of the Presidential Library Yuri Nosov, in his greeting to the participants and guests of the event, noted that the library and the Moscow State Institute of International Relations have productive cooperation and joint projects. On the eve of Victory Day, the preparation of video lessons about the Second World War is being completed based on materials that were taken from the Library's collections. The project involves teachers of the Gorchakov Lyceum of MGIMO and library specialists. Video lessons will soon appear on the Presidential Library portal and will be available to all users.

Yuri Nosov wished bright impressions, inspiration, new successes and achievements to all those present at the historical ball.

Before the debutantes of the Gorchakov Lyceum of MGIMO and the pupils of the Nakhimov Naval School took to the parquet floor, a welcoming performance by the soloists of the Saint-Petersburg Philharmonia was performed. The historical ball of 2024 was accompanied by music of the XVIII–XIX centuries performed by St. Petersburg masters, multiple winners of Russian and international competitions of performing arts – the string "Auer Quartet". Classical dances were performed to their accompaniment: polonaise, mazurka, polka, quadrille, counterdance, and, of course, waltzes.