On July 7 at 4:00 PM in the Art Gallery in Shimla a solemn inauguration of the exhibition of the International Centre of the Roerichs “The Roerich Pact. History and Modernity” took place. With this event the ICR starts a new stage of an international project that will embrace cities of India. The inauguration of the exhibition traditionally began with “cutting red ribbon” ceremony that was done by the Chief Minister of the State of Himachal Pradesh Mr. Virbhadra Singh and lighting up a lamp (in Hindi djoti tipak) in order to make this cultural event successful. At the inauguration representatives of the Government of Himachal Pradesh, workers of culture, science and art were present.

The President of the International Centre of the Roerichs (ICR) Mr. Alexander Losyukov had a welcoming speech. Mr. Alexander Losyukov told about this international exhibition, which conducted a journey over many countries of Europe and America, was at the UNESCO Headquarters, at United Nations Office in Geneva, and at the Peace Palace in The Hague, and now it was opening in the Indian State of Himachal Pradesh. Mr. Losyukov stressed a significant role played by the Roerichs in development of cultural relations between Russia and India. He specifically emphasized the importance of philosophical and creative heritage of the Roerichs, which unites the peoples of India and Russia. The cause of the Roerichs family is continued by the International Centre of the Roerichs, the evidence of which is Agreement on Cooperation between the ICR and the International Roerich Memorial Trust (IRMT, Naggar, India) signed in 2012 and approved by the Government of Himachal Pradesh.
                      
The Chief Minister of the State of Himachal Pradesh Mr. Virbhadra Singh addressed to the audience with a welcoming speech. He expressed the deepest joy and pride that this exhibition tour started in the very heart of the Himalayas, in the ancient land of Himachal Pradesh. The Chief Minister stressed the importance of the Roerich Pact for preserving treasures of the world culture and described in detail the history of India joining to the Pact. The Chief Minister mentioned all prominent governmental and public figures of Indian culture that rendered support to the peace-making project of Nicholas Roerich. Amongst culture workers who supported the Pact were such people of name as Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Jawaharlal Nehru, Jagadish Bose, Rabindranath Tagore and many others.
           
Mr. Shakti Singh Chandel, life trustee of the International Roerich Memorial Trust who is the coordinator of this exhibition, greeted Mr. Losyukov on behalf of the IRMT and on his own behalf for organizing this significant event dedicated to the Roerich Pact. In the opinion of Mr. Shakti Chandel, the Roerich Pact is a great gift of Nicholas Roerich to the humankind for preservation of peace in the entire world. Mr. Chandel accorded a special thank to his old friend Mr. Alexander M. Kadakin who delegated representatives of the Embassy of Russia to India to take part in the solemn inauguration of the exhibition. Mr. Chandel described in detail the history of establishing two organizations by Dr. Svetoslav Roerich – IRMT in Naggar and ICR in Moscow and told about working visits of representatives of the ICR to the IRMT and management of the IRMT to the ICR. As a result of negotiations between the two organizations, Protocol of Cooperation was signed in 2007 and Agreement on Cooperation was signed on October 2, 2012. The visitors at the exhibition got to know that, in compliance with these documents, the ICR appointed a permanent representative, Russian curator, to work at the IRMT. ICR experts regularly came down from Moscow to India to prepare a plan of a scientific development of the complex, revival of the activity of the Urusvati Institute and opening of the Art Academy for Children named after Helena Roerich, for turning the IRMT into a world-class museum, according to the wish of Svetoslav Roerich.

Mr. Chandel asked the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh to take an active part in affairs of the Trust for transforming it into the world centre of art and cultural achievements.

Mr. Sergey V. Karmalito, Senior Counsellor at the Embassy of the Russian Federation in India read out the welcome speech of Mr. Alexander M. Kadakin, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of India. In his address Mr. Ambassador emphasized the role of the Roerich Pact in concerted actions of the world community for protection of cultural values. A.M.Kadakin considers it is deeply symbolic that the Roerich Pact was signed at a time when its author lived and worked on the Indian soil, in the spiritual Himalayas providing the plentiful source of creative inspiration for Nicholas Roerich. Mr. Ambassador expressed gratitude to the hosts of event both from Russian and Indian sides. He wished this magnificent exhibition every success and effective work to all the participants of the cultural programme.

Professor of State University of Shimla Doctor Saundzhali Sapna Sanjay Pandit addressed to the audience with words of salutation. While highlighting the origin of the Roerich Pact she laid a special emphasis on the discussion of peacekeeping ideas of the Pact and future of our planet in India in 1942 when the upcoming Indian Prime-Ministers Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi visited the Roerichs Estate in Kullu.

The representative of Lalit Kala Akademi (National Academy of Fine Art) in Shimla, professor of State University of Shimla Mr. Khim Chatterjee also appealed to the honoured guests of the exhibition. The artist admitted that Nicholas Roerich’s paintings had a profound effect on his oeuvre: “The more I study Nicholas Roerich the more I bow before his oeuvre; the more I watch his paintings the more I improve myself on the way of spiritual development. The whole mankind is bound to the peacekeeping initiative of Nicholas Roerich for preservation of the world cultural heritage. Today by virtue of this exhibition opening we felt the importance of turning his ideas into reality”.
           
Publishings:

The Tribune, Chandigarh, July 7, 2014

Daily Post, Shimla, July 8, 2014

Museums of Russia