On April 15, 2015, a Russian Center of the Russkiy Mir Foundation was opened in the Steglitz neighborhood of Berlin, the first center of the organization in Berlin. The society of Russian-speaking parents and teachers MITRA (Die interkulturelle pädagogische Gesellschaft MITRA e.V.) and the Russkiy Mir Foundation, which jointly have created the center, chose a special day for the opening, as Russia celebrates the Universal Day of Culture on this day.
The sense of the engagement of two cultures – German and Russian – was pervasive on the day of the opening of the Russian Center. The guests who gathered on this occasion were welcomed by greeter dressed in Russian and Bavarian national costumes.
The official program began with a musical performance by Sergei Dreznin and welcoming remarks by Marina Burd, Executive Director of MITRA. Executive Director of the Russkiy Mir Foundation Vladimir Kochin and Cultural Attaché of the Russian Embassy Sergei Maguta also greeted the guests.
“The Russkiy Mir Foundation has many friendly partners in many countries,” said Vladimir Kochin. “One of our long-time and true partners is the intercultural pedagogical society MITRA headed by the energetic Marina Burd. I hope that the Center of Russian Culture in Steglitz will acquire many enthusiasts among both natives of Berlin and members of the Russian diaspora in the city.”
“Today is a big day for the Russian and Russian-speaking diaspora in Berlin,” noted Sergei Maguta. “The pedagogical association MITRA and its enthusiasts who have with great love created the network of German-Russian kindergartens and schools in Berlin and other federal lands of German will succeed in making the work of the Russian Center in the Germany capital interesting, useful and popular.”
The guests were entertained by a concert performed by children of the Russian-German kindergartens and pupils of the Lomonosov Elementary School of MITRA. Special video greetings from friends and partners of MITRA and the Russkiy Mir Foundation from Bulgaria, Belarus, Latvia, Ukraine and Denmark were also shown.
One of the key focus areas of the Russian Center’s work will be the development of bilingual children in both mixed and Russian-speaking families. Much attention will also be paid to the preservation of the values of Russian culture and support of intercultural dialogue.
The center in Berlin is the fifth center opened with the support of the Russkiy Mir Foundation in Germany. The other four operate in Dresden, Nuremburg, Mainz and Hamburg.
Russkiy Mir Foundation Information Service
