On August 16-17, 2012 Cultural and Educational Expedition devoted to Dr.George Roerich 110th jubilee followed Okulovka-Mshentsy-Bologoye (Novgorod Region, Russia) route. Dr.George Roerich (1902-1960), world-known Russian orientalist, linguist, historian, ethnographer, archeologist, and traveler, was born in Okulovka, Novgorod Region, Russia. The expedition was organized by Tver Regional Roerich Organization, the Okulovka town Administration: and it was supported by the International Centre of the Roerichs (the ICR) and International Information Analytical Center (IIA-Center).

The expedition aimed to research activity of the great Russian travelers - George Roerich and Nikolay Miklukho-Maklay - in strengthening of international cooperation and understanding between people, it also aimed to unite work of state and public organizations for protection of the cultural heritage.

More than 50 representatives from museums, educational and cultural and public institutions from Russia and the Ukraine took part in the project. Among them were Moscow, St.Petersburg, Tver, Yaroslavl, Novgorod, Kiev, Sebastopol, Bezhetsk, Okulovka, Bologoe.

A number of gala events devoted to George Roerich 110th jubilee were held during the expedition: a gala meeting in Okulovka at the monument to the great scientist-orientalist; an excursion to the exhibit in the city museum named after Nikolay Miklukho-Maklay (the exhibition is about the Roerichs’ family activity in Novgorod Region); an opening of an exhibition of photodocuments devoted to George Roerich’s life (the exhibition is based on the International Centre of the Roerichs’ archives). The gala events were finished with the ICR donation of rare books (George Roerich’s scientific works among them) and “Culture and Time” journal (“Kultura I Vyemya”) to the town museum named after N.N.Miklukho-Maklay.

On August 16 in the Okulovka Regional Center of Creativiness there was held round table: “Preservation of Cultural Heritage of Russian Scientists-Travelers (to 110 Jubilee of George  Roerich)”.

The speeches were made by Tomsha E.A. (chairman of the St.Petersburg Branch of the ICR), Vakhonina I.V. (member of the Tver Regional Roerich Organization), Prokhorychev A.L. (the ICR member), Pitepash Ye.I. (member of the local history museum named after N.Miklukho-Maklay), Chechina T.I. (editorial staff member of “Culture and Time” Journal, the ICR), Lysikov A.G. (chairman of the Tver Regional Roerich Organization).

The round table discussed the following problems and matters: George Roerich’s role in the Central-Asian expedition of 1923-1928; great traveler N.Miklukho-Maklay’s heritage; heroic life and creative work of George Roerich; research by George Roerich and other Russian scientists of common cultural space in Asia; preservation of the Roerichs’ memorial places in Tver and Novgorod Regions; and necessity to establish an International Committee for preservation of the Roerichs’ heritage.

The round table participants stressed the great importance of scientific and cultural heritage of G.Roerich and N.Miklukho-Maklay. The ideas of these famous Russian travelers-scientists: research of common cultural basis of various ethnic groups, cultural and historical unity of mankind, establishment of friendly and open relations between people - are extremely urgent nowadays.

The Round Table adopted the resolution which main idea is to strengthen efforts of preservation of cultural heritage in view of growing danger of spiritually deprived anthropogenic civilization. The resolution stressed the necessity to preserve the Roerichs cultural heritage for the future generations.

In the evening there was the beautiful concert of Tatyana and Sergei Levin in the Okulovka Regional Center of Creativiness.

On August 17 the expedition visited the “Chalice Untouched” (Chasha Neotpitaya) memorial in Mshentsy village and put flowers to it. The Mshentsy springs are the most beautiful and surprising ones of Valdai nature, N.Roerich described them in his article “Chalice Untouched” (1916). N.Roerich’s words from the article are carved on the stone memorial: “Rus is as chalice untouched. Chalice untouched is a spring full of health. A fairy-tale hides quietly in the middle of a common field. Underground power flushes in semiprecious stones. Rus believes and waits…” .

Then, the expedition visited Bologoye children art school where there is an exhibition devoted to the Roerich Family. The exhibition was made and presented to the school by the Tver Regional Roerich Organization. The exhibition contains a map of the Bologoye Region which shows places visited by the Roerichs, copies of the N.Roerich’s paintings, photos and books about the great family. N.M.Sklyar, the school director hopes that the school will be named after Nicholas Roerich in the nearest future.

Monument to Love memorial in Bologoye where Nicholas and Helena Roerich had met was the last point in the expedition rout. The N.Roerich’s words are carved on the memorial stone: “In Bologoye, in Prince Putyatin’s mansion I met Lada, a companion and an inspirer. Joy!” The name to the memorial (Monument to Love) was given by the Bologoye citizens who created a tradition to visit the memorial on a wedding day and to put flowers there. 

The expedition concluded with gala meeting at the memorial. The expedition participants made speeches at the memorial; they said that the Roerich Family is an example of unique harmonious union of spirits who created the unique heritage: paintings, scientific works and the Living Ethics books which are precious for the whole world. The expedition expressed its hope that the Monument to Love memorial would become a center of a sculpture composition in a park near the Bologoye Lake thus commemorating the meeting of two great people Nicholas and Helena Roerich.

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