The conference “Laurentian Chronicle. Historical memory and succession of generations” to be held in the Presidential Library

June 20, 2012 the Presidential Library will host the inter-regional conference “Laurentian Chronicle. Historical memory and the succession of generations”, dedicated to the 1150th anniversary of the Russian statehood. The main event of the forum will be a presentation of the electronic version of the Laurentian Chronicle.

The participants of the conference on issues of preservation of traditional culture in modern society will be the leading specialists of the State Hermitage Museum, The Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow and Saint-Petersburg State Universities, heads and specialists of the russian national libraries, representatives of public authorities and public organizations, scientists and artists.

The Laurentian Chronicle is a parchment manuscript, one of the largest monuments of the book art, which constitutes the basis of documentary memory of the nation. It is the oldest surviving list of records, which presents the story of the arrival of Rurik to Russia in 862. Historians believe this year to be the year of the origin of the Russian statehood. The manuscript itself is stored in the repository of the National Library of Russia and can be taken out only a few times a year as it's pages are sensitive to any influence.

A joint project of the Center of the National Glory of Russia, the Presidential Library and the National Library of Russia on digitization of the Laurentian Chronicle is aimed to make the manuscript available for everyone. Its electronic version will be available to the anniversary date at the web sites of both libraries

The same day participants of the conference will be able to look through electronic pages of the Chronicle in the exhibit room. Book materials devoted to the Laurentian Chronicle and the historical period will be also presented here.  A documentary film on digitization work of manuscripts will be shown on lcd screens.

Live broadcast of the conference is available at the Presidential Library web site on June 20 at 12.00 Moscow time.