Video lecture "Children of Besieged Leningrad in Western Siberia" spotlighted at the Presidential Library

January 27, 2021, at 10:00 Moscow time, the Presidential Library will host a video lecture entitled “Children of Besieged Leningrad in Western Siberia”, timed to coincide with the 77th anniversary of the complete liberation of Leningrad from the Nazi siege. The key topic of the event is the fate of orphans who were able to be evacuated from the besieged city.

The event is free. The meeting will be held remotely and will be broadcast live on the Presidential Library's portal in Live broadcasts section in accordance with the program of live events, on the institution's YouTube channel and VKontakte social network.

The event will be attended by a resident of besieged Leningrad - Valentina Bagrova, who today heads the Kuzbass voluntary society "Residents of besieged Leningrad". She will talk about her childhood in the besieged city and about her evacuation to Kuzbass.

Tatyana Pavlova, chief archaeographer of the department for the use and publication of documents of the State Archives of Altai Territory will also speak at the video lecture. She will tell about the evacuation of Leningrad orphanages during the Great Patriotic War to Altai Territory.

In her turn, journalist Elena Chekhova will tell about the way Altai Territory received thousands of children from besieged Leningrad during the Great Patriotic War, for many of whom Siberia became their second homeland. She will also tell how memorable dates are celebrated in the region today - the Days of the Breakthrough and the Complete Lifting of the Siege of Leningrad.

Journalist Yulia Korneva will present to the participants of the video lecture a documentary film "Children of Narym", dedicated to orphanages in Narym Territory, where children from besieged Leningrad were accommodated. The film is based on the memories of the pupils of these orphanages.

Lyudmila Pril, deputy director of the Center for Documentation of Contemporary History of Tomsk Region, will tell how many children were evacuated to Western Siberia, how they were assigned to child care facilities, what conditions were created for their living. In addition, the participants will learn how and when the process of returning children back to Leningrad took place.

The Library library’s materials which are presented in the special digital collection The Defense and Siege of Leningrad will illustrate the tragic days of the siege and liberation of the city. They include official documents, photographs, newsreels, testimonies of participants in combat battles, personal diaries of the blockade, etc.

Accreditation of media representatives is until 10:00 January 26, 2021.

Please forward applications for accreditation following the attached form marked “Media Accreditation” to the following e-mail addresses: media@prlib.ru, titunina@prlib.ru Kristina Titunina, tel.: (812) 305-16-21, ext. 781; mob. +7 (999) 218-05-98.

The letter should contain 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.

In order to reduce the risks of the spread of a new coronavirus infection (COVID-19), the use of personal protective equipment during the event is mandatory for all attendees.