Memory of Russia: Monument “To Sergius of Radonezh – collector of the Russian Land” opened in Simferopol

June 6, 2014 on the Russian Language Day, the Chairman of the State Duma Sergei Naryshkin made a working visit to the Crimean Federal District, where he held the first meeting of the Crimean Department of the Russian historical Society, as well as opened the VIII International Festival “Great Russian Word”.

In Simferopol the Chairman of the State Duma took part in the solemn opening of the monument to “Sergius of Radonezh – collector of the Russian Land”. This year celebrates the 700^th anniversary of St. Sergius of Radonezh, and Sergei Naryshkin noted the deep symbolicalness of the opening of the monument in the Crimea, “the past, the present and the future of which is inseparable from Russia”.

The venue for the first meeting of the Crimean Department of the RHS became Livadia Palace in Yalta. A copy of a single color photograph of Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt made in this palace in February 1945, the Chairman of the State Duma, Chairman of the RHS Sergei Naryshkin donated the Crimean Department of the RHS: "the walls of this palace remind us of the importance of the Crimea in the history of Russia and the importance of our countries in protecting and promoting peace on earth".

Speaking of priorities of the Departments, Sergei Naryshkin emphasized the importance of studying the tragic history of the Crimea associated with mass deportations: "These are wounds that have not completely healed. This requires not only an objective and professional, but also very neat and balanced approach".

Historians have also discussed issues related to the organization of events for the 100th anniversary of the First World War. For his part, Sergei Naryshkin called Crimean Department of the RHS to actively participate in this work. "Commemorative events are completed on August 1, and will continue for at least four years – like the First World War lasted", - said the Chairman of the State Duma.

At the opening of the festival "Great Russian Word" Sergei Naryshkin, congratulating everyone with the 215th anniversary of Pushkin's birth, called an annual festival "cultural event for the Crimeans, representatives of different nationalities, united by a common history and a common destiny". He expressed confidence that for all Russians the sense of solidarity with the Crimeans was both a sense of national unity and national pride, and a stimulus for further achievements.