History of Russia: 3rd Congress of Peter’s Cities in St. Petersburg

The 3rd Congress of Peter’s Cities “Peter’s Relics in the Collections of Russia and Europe” is running in St. Petersburg June 8-10, 2011.

The Congress has brought together specialists of cultural and educational institutions of Russian cities, whose history of foundation and life was closely related to the activities of Peter the Great: Petersburg, Moscow, Azov, Arkhangelsk, Volgograd, Yekaterinburg, Murom, Omsk, and many others. In addition, meetings of Congress will attract speakers from Vienna, Groningen, Dresden, Cambridge, Leuven, Paris, and Tallinn.

Within “Peter’s Days” Peter the Great Institute will be opened in St. Petersburg. Its opening ceremony is scheduled on birthday of Peter the Great, June 9, in the Boris Yeltsin Presidential Library. The institute is expected to continue the work on study of Peter the Great’s heritage, in particular, on creation of the Code of Russian monuments of history and culture, related to activities of Peter I and his associates.

Executive Director of Dmitry Likhachev Foundation and Director of the new institute Alexander Kobak told that birthday of Peter the Great, June 9, will see the ceremony of laying flowers to the Bronze Horseman and city celebrations in the court of the Winter Palace. Sessions of the Congress will go on on Saturday, June 10.

He also shared the plans to hold the Congress of Peter’s Cities next year in Paris. Alexander Kobak mentioned that such an idea was suggested by the University of Paris. The Congress is supposed to kick off in September 2012 with its focus on activities of Peter the Great in Europe.