The second day of the international scientific and public conference “Russia and the Roerichs’ Heritage”, which is being held at the International Centre of the Roerichs, began with a report “The Roerichs’ Heritage and the Authorities”. This topic was presented by Vice-President of the International Centre of the Roerichs, First Deputy Director General of the Museum named after Nicholas Roerich Mr. Alexander Stetsenko.

Mr. Stetsenko stressed that the relationships between the Roerichs and authorities always were not easy. He reminded that official authorities of various levels had tried many times to sabotage creation of the museum, denied to return a part of the collection to the museum, in spite of the fact that Svetoslav Roerich had applied to high level government officials; about slander, lie, and administrative pressure aimed at stopping cultural, educational and public activity of the museum.

The strongest strike, he mentioned, was depriving the ICR from the financial source in November last year, which caused difficulties in fulfilling some important projects. However, a large exhibition project “Roerich Pact. History and Modernity” will be continued. New cities of Germany, Austria and other countries are ready to receive the exposition. In the year of 80th anniversary of signing this historical document, the exhibition will be exposed at UN Headquarters in New York. Roerich organizations all over this country seek for new opportunities for a dialog with those officials who realize a creative power of culture. For example, Mayor of Moscow Sergey Sobyanin has ordered to grant the Lopukhins’ estate to the ICR for free use.     

Ph.D. in Philosophy Mrs. Larina Kudryashova shared her thoughts about current situation in the globe from philosophic viewpoint in her report “New cosmic thinking as an evolution route of development of Russia”. The author believes that the current processes occurring in society are characterized by speeding up, binarity of positions, use of rude power together with up-to-date “war means”, that is lie by mass media, which could be clearly seen in the situation development in Ukraine.

The role of Russia, she stressed, is very important in this situation. In fact, the world has been divided into two parts: the countries that support Russia and the countries that try to put Russia down. It turned out to be that the countries that signed the Roerich Pact in one’s time are in the first group.

Re-union of Crimea and Russia show all these global tendencies, Mrs. Kudryashova stressed. She cited an instance of confrontation between the Light and the Darkness. A park named after Nicholas Roerich is being under construction in Simferopol, Crimea. Its architectural style is of XIV century, i.e. the epoch when Sergius of Radonezh lived. One week prior the referendum in Crimea, the Government of Ukraine made a decision to demolish a sculpture of saint Sergius of Radonezh. However, the events turned another way.

More reports were presented during this day, such as “Motherland and Russian emigration in creative works of Nicholas Roerich”, “Problems of sponsorships in Russia”, “I called you for the feat”, “Nicholas Roerich about spiritual and cultural traditions of the Russian community”.

During the last day of the conference, a round table “Problems of public culture in Russia and the Roerichs’ heritage” will occur.