Participants of the International Literary Forum discuss ways to help a literary museum, an archive, or a library
Two feelings hold us wondrous fast,
To them the hungry heart may come;
Love of one’s country’s heroes past,
Love of one’s family forbear’s tomb.
Pavel Kryuchkov, Research Fellow at Vladimir Dahl State Museum of the History of Russian Literature, opened the roundtable with an excerpt from a poem by Alexander Pushkin. “‘One’s family forbear’s tomb’ is about the memory of the generations, and by ‘one’s country’s heroes past’ [pepelishche] Pushkin probably meant cultural institutions,” said Kryuchkov, suggesting that forum participants “at least slightly touch upon this hugely important theme, work the clay, so to say.”
“In the Middle East, preserving literary heritage became a concern back in the 1960s,” said Muhammad Al-Hourani, President of the Arab Writers Union (Syria). “Government has always played a central role in the process, but the contribution of the private sector is also important. Philanthropists in the Arab countries open libraries, develop cultural tourism, and support publishing and educational projects.”
Evidence to support his words are collections of Russian and Arab proverbs and books about Rasul Gamzatov funded by Syrian cultural philanthropists.
In Tajikistan, the government is the main philanthropist. According to Firdavs Tavarov, chief editor at the Center of Literary Translation, cultural enthusiasts present their projects mainly to the Ministry of Culture. “Culture and art impact people’s outlook, ideals, values, and the subtlety of perception.”
Dávid Rózsa, Director-General of the Hungarian National Széchényi Library, reminded those present that the library owes its existence to a private philanthropist: “Count Széchenyi, who founded the library in 1802, donated thousands of books to it, together with multiple rare pieces related to the Hungarian history. Since then, the collection has been growing with the help of philanthropists. For instance, Hungarian poet Sándor Petőfi, author of the most famous national patriotic poem, 12 Points, made sure his archives were given to the library.”
To them the hungry heart may come;
Love of one’s country’s heroes past,
Love of one’s family forbear’s tomb.
Pavel Kryuchkov, Research Fellow at Vladimir Dahl State Museum of the History of Russian Literature, opened the roundtable with an excerpt from a poem by Alexander Pushkin. “‘One’s family forbear’s tomb’ is about the memory of the generations, and by ‘one’s country’s heroes past’ [pepelishche] Pushkin probably meant cultural institutions,” said Kryuchkov, suggesting that forum participants “at least slightly touch upon this hugely important theme, work the clay, so to say.”
“In the Middle East, preserving literary heritage became a concern back in the 1960s,” said Muhammad Al-Hourani, President of the Arab Writers Union (Syria). “Government has always played a central role in the process, but the contribution of the private sector is also important. Philanthropists in the Arab countries open libraries, develop cultural tourism, and support publishing and educational projects.”
Evidence to support his words are collections of Russian and Arab proverbs and books about Rasul Gamzatov funded by Syrian cultural philanthropists.
In Tajikistan, the government is the main philanthropist. According to Firdavs Tavarov, chief editor at the Center of Literary Translation, cultural enthusiasts present their projects mainly to the Ministry of Culture. “Culture and art impact people’s outlook, ideals, values, and the subtlety of perception.”
Dávid Rózsa, Director-General of the Hungarian National Széchényi Library, reminded those present that the library owes its existence to a private philanthropist: “Count Széchenyi, who founded the library in 1802, donated thousands of books to it, together with multiple rare pieces related to the Hungarian history. Since then, the collection has been growing with the help of philanthropists. For instance, Hungarian poet Sándor Petőfi, author of the most famous national patriotic poem, 12 Points, made sure his archives were given to the library.”