Memorable dates of Russia: Ulyanovsk region to celebrate the 200th birthday anniversary of Ivan Goncharov

At the meeting of the Council on culture under the governor of Ulyanovsk region it was resolved to hold jubilee celebrations of the 200th birthday anniversary of Russian classic author Ivan Goncharov in Ulyanovsk 16 – 22 June, 2012.

"The major event of the anniversary celebrations will be the opening of the Historical and Memorial Museum of Goncharov, - noted Minister of Arts and Cultural Policy in the region, Gennady Zhuravlev. - The new museum will be both scientific and social center, a place of permanent living communication of all who cherish and take interest in the writer's work."

According to G. Zhuravlev, during the celebration it is planned to hold the V International scientific conference devoted to Goncharov. At present, scientists from Russia, Germany, USA, Japan, Hungary, France, Canada, Ukraine have agreed to attend the event.

For the first time in Ulyanovsk, a forum of literary museums of Russia and CIS countries will take place. The curator of the project is the State Literary Museum (Moscow). Literary museums of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine have already agreed to take part in the forum. The Writers' Union of Russia will take active part in the festivities.

During the celebrations in Ulyanovsk there will be held a ceremony of literary awarding dedicated to the bicentennial of Goncharov; a visiting session of the Russian Writers' Union will take place; creative soiree with readers will be held. The St. Petersburg Museum of the Institute of Russian Literature (Pushkin House) and the Moscow State Literary Museum will jointly organize in Ulyanovsk the National Exhibition "Heroes of Goncharov in illustrations by Russian artists", which will include over a hundred of unique exhibits.

Ulyanovsk residents and guests can also take part in the 34th All-Russian Goncharov  festival.

The guests of honor of the anniversary celebrations will be the descendants of Goncharov’s sisters Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, as well as descendants of the writer's older brother - the Simon family of France.

The Russian State Library for Foreign Literature (Moscow) is also actively involved in preparation of the anniversary celebrations. It is preparing a publication of literary biography of Goncharov, written by renowned French writer Henri Troyat, edition of essays by Goncharov in Russian and German languages, photo albums, "Goncharov in Simbirsk", "Goncharov in St. Petersburg", various traveling exhibits.

On February 21 in Moscow is scheduled a meeting of the organizing committee for the celebration of the bicentennial of the writer.