The Founding Meeting of the Council of the RHS Branch in the Republic of Karelia Took Place

The initiative to create a branch of the society was previously put forward by representatives of the largest organizations in the region that conduct historical and educational work: Petrozavodsk State University, the National Museum of the Republic of Karelia, the Republican Archives and the National Library.

The Head of the Republic of Karelia Artur Parfenchikov addressed the participants of the meeting with a greeting, emphasizing that the study of Russian history should begin with the history of the small homeland.

“Karelia has a powerful cultural and scientific potential. We have many historians, scientists, local historians, archaeologists, and searchers. The regional branch will unite everyone interested in history, will create a basis for objective study, coverage and popularization of Russian history. In two years, we will celebrate a major memorable date - the 800th anniversary of the christianization of the Karelians. I am sure that the regional branch will take an active part in the preparation for this most important historical date,

– noted Artur Parfenchikov.

The opening of the regional branch in Petrozavodsk was attended by the Chairman of the Board of the Russian Historical Society, Executive Director of the History of the Fatherland Foundation, Doctor of Historical Sciences Ruslan Gagkuev and a member of the Board of the Russian Historical Society, Director of the St. Petersburg Institute of History (N.P. Likhachev House) of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Alexey Sirenov.

Via video link, members of the northwestern branches of the RHS – Chairman in the Arkhangelsk Region Alexander Tamitsky and Deputy Chairman in the Vologda Region Kirill Kovalev – congratulated the participants of the meeting on this significant event for the republic.

Ruslan Gagkuev conveyed congratulations on the establishment of the branch from the Chairman of the Society Sergey Naryshkin, and also spoke about the main areas of work of the RHS.

“The creation of a branch of the Russian Historical Society is important for strengthening ties with the community from other regions, in order to hold relevant events, including all-Russian ones. This will certainly affect the scale of historical education in the region and its effectiveness. For our part, we will definitely support scientists from Petrozavodsk and the republic,

- emphasized Ruslan Gagkuev.

According to Ruslan Grigorievich Gagkuev, there are now more than 70 regional branches of the society and representative offices of the RHS abroad.

Rector of PetrSU A.V. Voronin noted:

“This is a very important stage in the development of the university. Petrozavodsk State University has always had a strong historical scientific school. PetrSU pays great attention to the study of Russian history, the history of the countries of Northern Europe, the Arctic agenda remains in focus. Our university remains one of the leaders in the study of these issues in the country. PetrSU will support and take an active part in the work of the branch of the Russian Historical Society. "History through hearts" - this, in my opinion, should be the motto of history education in schools, universities and in life.

In turn, member of the board of the RHS, Director of the St. Petersburg Institute of History of the Russian Academy of Sciences Alexey Sirenov noted that the Karelian historical school is considered one of the strongest in Russia. In his opinion, the establishment of a RHS branch in the republic will allow specialists from Karelia and St. Petersburg to work together to improve the quality of training professional historians in universities:

“We need to combine our efforts so that both our St. Petersburg historians and your historians from Petrozavodsk receive the maximum. And for this we need practice, for this we need our joint events. I believe that our joint work within the framework of the projects of the Russian Historical Society will contribute to this, and we will finally implement all our plans.

Following the meeting, the following candidates were nominated for the post of co-chairs of the RHS branch council in the Republic of Karelia: Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, Director of the Institute of History, Political and Social Sciences of Petrozavodsk State University Irina Suvorova and Professor of the Department of Russian History of Petrozavodsk State University Sergei Verigin.

“The opening of the regional branch of the Russian Historical Society is a big event for our university and the republic. It will become a powerful association that will play a big role in studying the history of our region, the European north of Russia, and preserving historical memory,

- said Sergei Verigin.

They will be approved at the next meeting of the presidium or general meeting of the Russian Historical Society.