BelSU presents its experience in preserving cultural and historical heritage at the interregional forum

The Interregional Forum “Cultural and Historical Heritage of Russia” was held in the cultural and historical center of the Museum-Reserve “Prokhorovskoye Field”. The organizer was the chairman of the regional branch of the movement “Fathers of Russia” – Associate Professor of the Biology Department of the Institute of Pharmacy, Chemistry and Biology of BSU Alexander Kosov.

The report on “Preservation of cultural and historical heritage of the region in the project activities of the History Museum of BSU” was presented by Irina Denisova, the Director of the Museum.

“One of the important directions of preservation and popularization of the historical and cultural heritage of the region is the execution of exhibition projects and creation of open electronic archives. Why do we speak about exhibition projects and not just about exhibitions? Because it is a complex of activities to create and support the exhibition, including large-scale research work and involvement of students, staff and their families, attribution, lectures and master classes” – she mentioned.

The speaker told about the exhibition projects that aroused interest not only among the university staff and students, but also among the citizens. One of such projects is “Skrynya”, that includes more than 230 items of folk culture of the end of 19^th – end of 20^th century: rushniki, tablecloths, towels, napkins, paths, bedposts, shirts, kushaks, made by craftswomen and kept in the families of the university staff, students, graduates and veterans.

The art project “Two Academicians”, created jointly with the State Historical, Architectural and Natural Museum-Reserve “Izborsk” within the “Prioritet – 2030” program, introduced the visitors to the work of the only known in modern Russia academicians of painting, who depicted the views of Belgorod and its surroundings, – a lecturer of the Belgorod Teachers' Training Institute of the late XIX century – Juliy Ivanovich Fedders and a modern artist Alexander Konstantinovich Krylov. The museum staff also prepared a catalog of the academicians’ paintings.

Over 120 employees, students, graduates of the University and citizens took part in the project “New Year's Journey”, that presented more than 1200 New Year ornaments, inherited in families from previous generations. As Irina Denisova noted, the main goal was not to demonstrate the variety of New Year decorations and the history of New Year celebrations, but to preserve and actualize family history, which is an integral part of the region and country’s history.

“A significant part of the exhibition project was a photo gallery of more than 230 New Year's childhood photos of the university staff and students, that include historical views of New Year's Eve in Belgorod and other towns of the region,” – she claimed.

Along with the temporary exhibition projects the History Museum of BelSU took part in the creation of the portrait gallery “Famous People of Belgorod Region” in the hall of the Youth Cultural Center of BSU. The electronic version of the gallery is presented on the website of the museum.

The museum structure also includes the Hall of Pedagogical Dynasties, the exposition of which is devoted to 20 pedagogical dynasties, whose representatives taught or continue to teach in universities of the region.

And, of course, electronic archives. For example, in 2023 the History Museum of BelSU released the largest research project “Graduation in 1941”, dedicated to the restoration of biographies of teachers and graduates of the Belgorod Teachers' Training Institute, who went off to the frontline in summer 1941. About 50 biographies were restored within the project. Popularization and preservation of the historical and cultural heritage of the university and the region is carried out in the official community of the History Museum of Belgorod State University in VKontakte.

The international forum was attended by representatives of the movement “Fathers of Russia”, Galina Pyatykh, Commissioner for Children's Rights in Belgorod region, Elena Chefonova, Director of the museum-diorama “The Battle of Kursk, Belgorod direction”, Alexander Zarubin, Director of the Shukhov Lyceum, Vasily Zolotukhin, Deputy Chairman of the Public Chamber of Belgorod region, and Evgeny Mikhailyukov, Deputy Chairman of the “The Young Guard of the United Russia”.