The Presidential Library highlights the Day of Russia

The Day of Russia is celebrated in our country on June 12. It was on this day in 1990 that the First Congress of People’s Deputies of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR) adopted the Declaration of the State Sovereignty. The document proclaimed the supremacy of the Russian Constitution. In 1994 it received the status of the state holiday, and four years later became known as the Day of Russia. However, this name wasn’t established until February 1, 2002.

The history of Russian statehood is one of the priority areas of the Presidential Library’s activities. So far the organization’s electronic collections comprise more than 770,000 items. Rare, truly unique materials provide a detailed account of the life of our country in different historical epochs. A wide network of remote access centers located in all regions of Russia and abroad makes them fully available for study.

Some documents are accessible on the Presidential Library’s portal. Of particular interest are four basic collections: “State Authority”, “Russian People”, “Russian Language” and “Territory of Russia”.

“State Authority” collection includes official and archive documents, scientific, popular science and educational publications, analytics, photo- and newsreels, audio and video recordings, as well as documentary films. These materials characterize the features of the state power in Russia, development of its individual branches and bodies, and current trends. Moreover, the collection contains valuable information concerning the life and work of some statesmen.

As you know, any country is, first and foremost, the people who live in it. They determine the course taken by the state and create its cultural image in the international arena. The collection “Russian People” clearly demonstrates the accuracy of this thesis.

Undoubtedly, Russian language is one of the basics of statehood and culture of our country. The collection of the same name comprises materials that reflect the main stages in the development of native language, both written and oral, from its origins to the present day. These are manuscripts, monuments of Russian writing, thesis abstracts, dictionaries, reference and educational books.

Our country occupies a significant part of the world map. Its borders had been determined over centuries. The collection “Territory of Russia” contains geographical materials, photographs and archive documents that present the territory of modern Russia, as well as the territory of the countries, which were part of the empire before 1917 and of the USSR.

A special collection “Constitution – Basic Law” highlights the rules of the Russian state nowadays and those, which existed in the past. The collection comprises drafts and full texts of all constitutions of our country of different epochs. The inaugural copy of the basic document of Russia – a gift from the President – is housed in the Presidential Library’s building at Senate Square, 3. 

The Presidential Library has been systematically implementing the Presidential Chronicle project, which spotlights the history of power in modern Russia. The Presidential Library’s portal provides access to the following films: Symbols of the Presidential Power, The Private Library of the President of the Russian Federation, The Archive of the President of the Russian Federation and I Address the President.

Moreover, the Presidential Library’s resource provides a detailed description of official symbols of our country: films of The State Symbols of Russia trilogy spotlight each of them – the emblem, the anthem and the flag.

The Presidential Library is not only the national electronic repository of the most important documents on the history, theory and practice of the Russian statehood, and Russian language. The organization is also a multimedia multifunctional cultural, educational, research, information and analytical center. Many events, including international ones, are regularly held in the Presidential Library.