As long as we fail to raise the level of education, upbringing and culture to a higher level, we will continue reap the consequences, says Professor Konstantin Rusnak, head of the UNESCO office in Moldova. It was this lack of an adequate appreciation for culture among high-level government officials that placed the Pushkin House Museum in Chisinau under threat. The building is one of only two surviving buildings where aPushkin once lived. The other is located in St. Petersburg and thankfully is not facing any threats. In Chisinau, the Pushkin house came under threat when a construction crew began digging a foundation just seven meters from the house for the construction of a 20-story residential buildings. According to the law, such construction work should be no closer than 100 meters from the historic building. In mid-May this work was halted, but it remains to be seen how the situation will develop.
– Why do you think that the Pushkin house came under such a threat?
– If the present powers that be have heard about the great poet Alexander Pushkin, then they consider him to be exclusively a Russian poet. But we live in Moldova, they say, forgetting that we are talking about a world-renowned poet, that in his works human values of the highest level are synthesized. If such things are not understood in Moldova, then this can only bring about disbelief. What kind of progress can we speak of anywhere if such things are happening? If we do not preserve the Pushkin house, our descendants will not forgive us. And the building itself, by the way, is approximately 200 years old.
– Leading Pushkin specialists and public activists within Moldova and abroad believe that this cultural monument should be brought under the auspices of UNESCO. What do you think about this proposition?
UNESCO’s competence extends to issues concerning the preservation of cultural heritage, science and education in many countries throughout the world. This authoritative international organization is always there to lend the necessary support when objects of true cultural value are under threat. The Pushkin House in Chisinau without a doubt is just such an object. UNESCO provides methodological, moral and in many cases financial support. In this difficult situation we are prepared to call in experts of the organization from Paris or Venice. At the same time, the leadership at city hall that gives out permits for construction must be more competent when it comes to such issues, and in particular the case with this museum. This is not the first instance that we have encountered this issue. We are under the impression that they don’t really heed outside opinions. We have on many occasions raised the issue of preserving cultural heritage within the old city center, including Pushkin Hill.
– Which important objects are included in UNESCO’s cultural heritage list?
– Unfortunately, I can only name one – the section of the Struve Geodetic Arc that passes through the territory of Moldova. This is the world renowned meridian that runs through the territories of nine countries. We are trying, albeit so far without success, to include the Old Orhei. The head of UNESCO made a visit six years ago to look into this, but thanks to the unhurried bureaucrats, this hasn’t been brought to a conclusion. But only thing that needs to be done is to roll up one’s sleeves and get to work.
– What plans do you have for the near future?
– In June the Ministry of Culture will hold its next meeting. And once again we will raise the issue of the Old Orhei complex. The General Secretary of the National Commission of UNESCO in Russia has been invited to attend. She has succeeded in having several dozen cultural monuments put under the auspices of UNESCO. This is a good indicator of the level and authority of Russia in terms of global cultural ranking. Such facts raise the level of responsibility of the country for its own cultural and architectural monuments. The country must maintain them at an exemplary level. After all, tourists from all corners of the world go there to see these things. By the way, Russia next year will head one of the committees on cultural heritage at UNESCO. The criteria for the selection of monuments by experts of the organization is rather strict. But it is always easier to destroy. Conservation, augmentation and preservation are much more difficult and troublesome.
Ekaterina Baneru
