February 13 the Russkiy Mir Foundation conducted an event entitled Symbols of the Russian World at the Pushkin monument in Lenin park (Havana, Cuba). The first event of the kind took place at a monument to Anna Akhmatova in Moscow, and a second – in Madrid at the Pushkin monument in the frame of the book festival Liber-2009.
The Russian delegation – participants of the 19th International Havana Book Fair – Executive Director of the Russkiy Mir Foundation Vyacheslav Nikonov, Head of the Department of Educational Projects Irina Stepanova, Director of American Programs Nickolai Mikhailov, representatives of the Russian Embassy in Cuba, Cuban poets, Pushkin poetry aficionados, representatives of the Russian Diaspora etc. gathered at the Pushkin monument to pay tribute to the genius writer.
In the opening speech Vyacheslav Nikonov spoke about the origin of the Symbols of the Russian World, about the writer’s input into the global culture and into development of the Russian language, and also thanked those, who have kept the monument in a good shape for all these years.
In their turn, the Cuban participants of the event said they are glad that their efforts aimed at preservation of the Russian culture and monuments in Havana are being noted and appreciated.
The official part of the event was followed by placing of a new memorial plate on the Pushkin monument. Apart from that, those present read Pushkin’s verses in Russian and Spanish, and spoke about the way Pushkin’s poetry influenced their lives. At the closing stage of the event flowers were laid to the monument, and one of the participants (Diego Rojales) was awarded for the best recitation of poetry.
