Marking the 350th anniversary of Peter the Great: International Peter the Great Congress starts in St. Petersburg

From June 9-11, 2022, Peter the Great Institute hosts International Peter the Great Congress titled “Not a sorcerer, but a Genius…” Peter the Great’s identity during his era in St. Petersburg.

Annually, St. Petersburg hosts International Peter the Great Congress, marking the birthday of Peter the Great celebrated on June 9. It aims at comprehensive study and the popularization of historical and cultural legacy of Peter’s age.

The 350th anniversary of Peter I is an extraordinary event for the country. It gives the opportunity to appreciate the significance of Peter the Great in Russian and European history, to fully understand the impact of his reforms on Russia and its people.

It seems like there’s no institutions, no spheres of culture or life of modern Russian society, that Peter I didn’t contribute to. Historian M. P. Pogodin wrote: «No, not a sorcerer, but a Genius, Peter».

Congress 2022 is special. It is dedicated to Peter himself, instead of his various deeds and reforms. The goal of this year’s congress is to highlight different sides of Emperor’s complex personality, to explore the identity of this unique phenomenon in our history and culture – Peter the Great.

Various topics will be discussed at the Congress to create the image of the great reformer:

– Peter the Great’s identity and his view of the world.

– Peter and his family.

– Teachers and mentors.

– Peter and his friends.

– Peter and the sea.

– Peter as traveler.

– Peter as collector.

– Peter in battles and negotiations.

– Contemporaries on Peter’s identity.

– St. Petersburg in Peter’s fate.

– Impact of Peter’s identity on the content and methods of reforms in Russia.

– Peter the Great as a symbol of new Russia.