Presidential Library hosted MGIMO Historical Ball

On 21 April 2025, in the Pillar Hall of the Presidential Library, which is located in the historic building of the Synod, a grand ball of the Gorchakov Lyceum of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation was held.

Holding a historical ball at the Presidential Library has already become a tradition - this year it was held for the third time.

The event was organised by the Gorchakovsky Lyceum of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations and attended by students of the Nakhimov Naval School. A historical ball requires considerable preparation: participants need not only to learn traditional ballroom dances, but also to learn about the culture of the Russian ball.

The greeting on behalf of the Director General of the Presidential Library Yuri Nosov was read by the Deputy Director General Yaroslava Borozdina. The greeting notes that the Presidential Library and the Moscow State Institute of International Relations have fruitful co-operation and joint projects.

One of them was the preparation of video lessons on the Second World War based on materials from the library's collection. Teachers of the Gorchakovsky Lyceum of MGIMO and specialists of the Presidential Library took part in this project. The video lessons are posted on the library's portal and everyone can familiarise themselves with them.

The ball was accompanied by the Auer Quartet, St. Petersburg virtuosos, multiple laureates of international and all-Russian competitions. The group is named after Leopold Auer, the founder of the Russian violin school. To the accompaniment of the string quartet, classical dances such as polonaise, polka and, of course, waltzes were performed.

A separate block during the historical ball were compositions dedicated to the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. The melodies of such songs as Blue Handkerchief, Dark Night, Motherland, May Waltz and others were played.