16.03.2006
On the 16th of March the International Conference "The essence and metamorphosis of Swedish identity" opened in the hall of the Academic Council at the Russian State University for the Humanities.
On the 16th of March the International Conference "The essence and metamorphosis of Swedish identity" opened in the hall of the Academic Council at the Russian State University for the Humanities. It was organized by the Russian-Swedish Center for education and research. The conference was devoted to the 10-year anniversary of the Center's establishment in the RSUH.
The Conference began with the welcoming words to the participants on the part of the leaders of RSUH and official representatives from the Embassy of Sweden to the Russian Federation.
Director of the Russian-Swedish Center for education and research, Tamara A. Toshtendal-Salycheva, reported that the tenth anniversary of the Center is celebrated by the serious and interesting Conference, devoted to the Swedish identity. According to her the Russian-Swedish Center "stands on three pillars": the Russian State University for the Humanities, in the frameworks of which the Conference is running, the Embassy of Sweden and the Swedish Institute.
Vice-rector for international activity of RSUH, Irina D. Karapetyants, told the history of the Russian-Swedish center, noting that 10 years ago the organization of such project was an experiment, received successful development for the University. She congratulated the Center and project participants with the anniversary.
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Sweden to Russia, Johan Molander, thanked the RSUH for its work and wished success and fruitful work in the future.
At the conclusion of the grand part of the Conference a ceremony of consecration to the honorary doctor of the Russian State University for the Humanities, HONORIS CAUSA, the famous Swedish historian, Professor Rolf Toshtendal took place there.
After the ceremony of consecration Rolf Toshtendal gave some grateful words, speaking about cooperation with the professors of our University and noting that thanks to the RSUH he had bought a new scientific fraternity.
Both Swedish and Russian representatives of the humanities took place in the Conference: historians, economists, archivists, ethnologists, art historians, music and theatre experts, culture experts, theorists of literature and linguists. Besides the famous scholars of both countries post-graduate students – graduating students of the Center, as well as present students of RSUH (the Russian State University for the Humanities), RATA (the Russian Academy of Theatre Arts) and the Moscow I.P. Tchaikovsky Conservatory read their reports too.
The Conference had demonstrated a broad chronology of problematic and thematic variety offered for discussion of the reports. The speeches, affecting both the problems of the early Middle Ages, and the situation of the present linguistic polyphony Swedish village in Ukraine, were sounded at the Conference. A special attention was given to Swedish culture – from the national costume and garden-park art up to the search for national roots in design, theater and music.
The Conference will be continued on the 17th of March, 2006.
