An exhibition Russian Diplomats – Writers (18th – 19th c.) opened at the Russian Centre of Varna Free University
With a documentary exhibition Russian Diplomats-Writers (18th – 19th c.), the Russian Centre of Varna Free University is celebrating the Year of Literature in Russia. The exhibition opened on 10 February - the Day of the Russian diplomacy and can be seen until 5 March, 2015.
The exhibition includes portraits, short biographical notes, list of documents and illustrations of selected works of the presented in the exhibition writers-diplomats from the library stock of the Russian Centre. The arrangement of the exhibition was made by architect Zhechka Ilieva.
In the 18th - 19th century, which the exhibition covers, some of the brightest and most intellectually gifted representatives of society joined the diplomatic service. They considered creative work as a means to express their attitude to life, an attempt to understand the past and present of Russia and its place in the world. The profession of the diplomat which required to establish relations with other countries, cultures, civilizations and to study the lives of other peoples has stimulated their creative imagination. The creative process enhanced one of the main functions of diplomacy – to attract the attention of foreign partners to the achievements of Russian culture, emphasizing its role in the global cultural space and increasing the interest in learning Russian worldwide.
The visitors to the exhibition can learn about the life and work of inextricably linked to the Russian diplomatic service poets and writers such as Denis Fonvizin (Secretary of the Head of the Foreign Affairs Association, N.I. Panin), Alexander Griboedov (Russian ambassador in Persia and participant in the preparation of Turkmanchayskiy agreement), Fyodor Tyutchev (Secretary of the Russian Embassy in Munich and Turin). In the period 1860-1870, the writer, publicist and philosopher Konstantin Leontiev whom the philosopher Nikolai Berdyaev called "the forerunner of Nietzsche"and"one of the most brilliant Russian minds", worked in the department of Asia of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and then in the Consulate of Russia in the Balkans.
This is far from the complete list of the bright minds of the Russian past.The list can be supplemented by the names of the great poet Konstanin Batyushkov - diplomat in Italy, the Russian romantic poet Dmitrii Venevitinov and the great Alexei Tolstoy – at that time a diplomat in Germany. In the archival repositories of the Russian Foreign Ministry among the notable historians who worked there were Nikolai Mihailovich Karamzin, Sergey Soloviev and Vasilii Osipovich Klyuchevskii whose research works are masterpieces of Russian literature.
Along with the world famousintellectuals, history has preserved the names of not so famous, but bright and talented diplomats, writers and poets. The works of Dmitrii Dashkov, Viktor Teplyakov, Andrey Muravyev, Aleksandar Skarlatovich Strudza, Matvei Gamazov take their rightful place in the Russian literary heritage. The exhibition contains interesting and useful information not only for students majoring in "International Relations". It attracted the attention of both the students and lecturers of the university and the lovers of Russian literature and history in the city.
"Thanks to the exhibition, we learned a lot about Russian diplomats - writers who have combined unique qualities and have been successful in both their professions.", said one of the first-year students majoring in "International Relations and Law", who visited the exhibition.
