The history of relations between Russia and Finland spotlighted at the Presidential Library

From October 22 to December 14, 2020, the exhibition "Russia - Finland: Marking the 100th anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Contacts" is available at the Presidential Library. The anniversary date will be celebrated on December 31.

The opening of the exposition will be attended by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Finland to the Russian Federation Antti Helanterä, representatives of the authorities and leading cultural institutions of St. Petersburg and Leningrad Region.

The exhibition of the Presidential Library, organized jointly with the National Archives of Finland with the participation of numerous partners and the support of Nokian Tyres Russia, spotlights the main milestones in the joint history of Russia and Finland, reveals the details of the social, cultural and economic relations that existed between the residents of the Grand Duchy of Finland and other regions of Russian Empire for many years.

The exposition contains copies of the most important documents on the history of Russian-Finnish relations: the Treaty of Fredrikshamn (1809) and the Treaty of Tartu (1920), the Manifesto of Alexander I on the state structure of Finland (1809), "Rescript on the language" of Alexander II (1863), which equalized the Finnish language in rights with the Swedish, documents on the recognition of the independence of the Republic of Finland by the All-Russian Central Executive Committee of the Soviets of Workers', Soldiers' and Peasants' Deputies (1917), etc.

Visitors to the exhibition will see the first edition of the famous Karelian-Finnish poetic epic "Kalevala" in 1835; the Kalevala edition with illustrations by the representative of the Golden Age of Finnish art Akseli Gallen-Kallela; richly illustrated albums of the 18th-19th centuries, introducing the northern beauty of Finland; plans of cities and fortresses; postcards with views of the stations of the Finnish railway (Terijoki, Lanskaya, Udelnaya, Ozerki, Shuvalovo, Pargolovo, etc.), built according to the designs of the architect Bruno Granholm, a prominent representative of "national romanticism"; photographs of the past and present of the Nokian Tyres factory, whose history began in 1898; and many other interesting materials.

The Presidential Library’s portal features electronic collection "Russia - Finland: The History of Relationship". It includes studies, official and archival documents, cartographic and visual materials which spotlight the geographical, economic and legal position of Finland from ancient times to the beginning of the twentieth century, most of the period of joining the Russian Empire as the Grand Duchy of Finland, as well as materials reflecting the current state of relations between our countries.

The partners of the exhibition "Russia - Finland: Marking the 100th anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Contacts" are Historical and Documentary Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Finland, Russian State Historical Archives, Russian State Navy Archives, Central State Archives of Literature and Art of St. Petersburg, the Leningrad Regional State Archives in the city of Vyborg, the M. Gorky Scientific Library of the St. Petersburg State University, the National Library of Russia, the Russian Ethnographic Museum.

To visit the exposition please register by phone (812) 334-25-14 or send an email to excursion@prlib.ru.
 

Accreditation of media representatives

Please forward applications for accreditation following the attached form marked “Media Accreditation” to the following e-mail addresses: media@prlib.ru, hudjakova@prlib.ru Alexandra Khudyakova, tel.: (812) 305-16-21, ext. 167; mob. +7 (981) 788-28-08.

The letter should indicate the full name, date and place of birth, passport data (series, number, place of registration), a list of carry-on equipment, contact phone numbers, the name of the media.

We draw the attention of the media representatives that it is necessary to forward applications for accreditation and arrive at the event in advance.

Entrance to the Presidential Library is carried out only by prior registration and upon showing a passport: for media representatives - through entrance № 2, participants and guests of the event - through entrance № 1.