The World of Russian emigres in the late XX – early XXI centuries. Е. И. Пивовар

      The activities of the IOPS are carried out in line with Russia’s general foreign policy aimed at strengthening peace in the Middle East and expanding economic and cultural cooperation with the states of the region. Strengthening ties with Russian-speaking communities and programs promoting Russian language and culture abroad make a significant contribution to this end. The IOPS is directly involved in the preparation and implementation of such programs. Thus, the Russian Centre for Science and Culture (RCSC) was inaugurated in June 2012 in Bethlehem in the presence of the Russian President Vladimir Putin. One of its premises was allocated to the office of the IOPS Bethlehem branch. The Center foundation and development project was implemented thanks to the collaboration between Rossotrudnichestvo, institutions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and the Palestinian Society through the sponsorship of Rosneft.

      On July 3, 2012, the Voice of Russia broadcasted a conversation of Konstantin Kosachev, Head of Rossotrudnichestvo and Russian President’s Special Envoy for relations with CIS member-states, and Sergey Stepashin, Chairman of the IOPS and the Russian Book Union. This meeting was held on the occasion of the opening of the Russian Center for Science and Culture in Palestine and was devoted to the role of Russian books in shaping the international image of Russia, as well as to cultural opportunities as a tool for exercising geopolitical influence. ‘Our center in Bethlehem,” said Konstantin Kosachev, ‘is a freestanding building in the historic center of Bethlehem with an area of more than 3 thousand meters. It is a two-storey building with large exhibition spaces, a concert hall, a choreography class and a music class. Of course, there are three classes for Russian lessons. There is everything that must be in a Russian cultural and scientific center.’ The head of Rossotrudnichestvo also emphasized that the RCSC in Palestine is a very timely and relevant institution, since about 3 thousand Russian citizens and several tens of thousands of Russian compatriots, including about 15 thousand graduates of Soviet and Russian universities live in this region. ‘This center will definitely attract not dozens, but hundreds, maybe even thousands of people every day,’ said Konstantin Kosachev. ‘In my opinion, no less important is the fact that this center emerged (I believe this is the first experience of the kind) as a unique model of public-private partnership,’[26] he added. Russian compatriots are particularly attracted by one of the units of the RCSC, namely by the library of Russian classical and modern books designed to store 3.5 thousand volumes, most of which had been brought to Bethlehem for the opening of the Center. The Russian Book Union, Boris Yeltsin Presidential Library, Alexander Solzhenitsyn House of Russia Abroad and Rossotrudnichestvo acted as philanthropists who gave books to the newly established RCSC.

      In March 2013, a memorable capsule was laid in the foundation of the first secondary school in Palestine with the study of Russian as the main foreign language. The ceremony was attended by the President of the IOPS, Sergey Stepashin. The IOPS carries out similar work in cooperation with agencies of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, cultural organizations of Russian compatriots abroad, Orthodox episcopates and parishes in Egypt, Lebanon and other Christian countries of Early Christianity that traditionally attract the interest of pilgrims and tourists from Russia and the Russian world. The IOPS is also actively involved in the international social movement for protecting Christian population and international cultural heritage in Syria and other countries of the Middle East against attacks by Islamist terrorist groups, The participants emphasize that the opening of a Russian school in Palestine is important not only as a sign of respect for the traditions (before the Russian Revolution the IOPS managed 100 schools for Palestinian children there), but also as a factor for increasing Russia’s international standing.

      On December 2, 2013, the Centre of Russian Culture in Tallinn hosted the opening ceremony of the Imperial Palestinian Orthodox Society’s branch in Estonia. A delegation from the Moscow branch of the association took part in the event. The opening of the IOPS office in the Estonian capital on December, 5 was also timed to coincide with the commemoration day of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II (Ridiger), who for many years was the Chairman of the IOPS Honorary Members Committee. This event was enthusiastically welcomed by Russian-speaking Estonian intellectuals, who perceived a newly established Estonian branch of the IOPS as another important dimension of cultural cooperation with Russia and the Russian world, and also as a contribution to the revival of spiritual traditions within the local Russian community. (In 1920s-1930s Estonia was an important centre of life for Russian Orthodox compatriots living abroad, while later on, Pühtitsa Convent remained one of the few active monasteries in the USSR). The IOPS contributed to the restoration of several Orthodox churches, the expansion of cultural, educational, and publishing activities targeting the Russian-speaking population, the increase in the number of tourists and pilgrims, which is also of great economic importance for Russian-speaking Estonians. In connection with the opening of the Estonian branch of the IOPS headed by the entrepreneur Alexander Volokhonsky, a photo exhibition on the history of Russian Palestine, prepared by George the Victorious Charitable Foundation in Estonia, was held. In April 2014, this exhibition moved to Narva Museum, where it also aroused great interest among Russian compatriots.

      In Russia, the Imperial Orthodox Palestinian Society supports research, publishing, museum, and exhibition projects, including those related to the history and culture of the Russia abroad. The cooperation between the IOPS and Alexander Solzhenitsyn House of Russia Abroad, which supports its organizational activities, exhibitions, presentations of the IOPS publications, etc. is quite characteristic. On 3 June 2014, Alexander Solzhenitsyn House of Russia Abroad hosted a meeting of the Third Conference of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society. (Since 2008, the Conference is the supreme governing body of the IOPS). In the lobby of the House of Russia Abroad a photo exhibition was held by the full member of the IOPS Vladimir Shelgunov with art photos of landscapes and memorable places of the Holy Land. The exhibition also had a IOPS souvenir shop. An address of the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov, honorary member of the Imperial Orthodox Palestinian Society, was read out at the opening of the Conference, stating, inter alia, the following:

      IOPS’s activities, as the oldest community organization of our country, make a significant contribution to the strengthening of cultural and humanitarian ties between the peoples of Russia and the Middle East… The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to provide the Society all kinds of support in the implementation of its plans, which are envisaged to contribute to the reinforcement of Russia’s ties with the Holy Land, the establishment of the objective image of our country in the Middle East, and the promotion of an inter-sectarian and inter-inter-civilizationaldialogue.[27]

      In April 2015, the Alexander Solzhenitsyn House of Russia Abroad held an exhibition “Russians in Lebanon” to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and Lebanon. The exhibition was organized by the House of Russia Abroad, the Russian Center for Science and Culture in Beirut and the Lebanese Cultural Orthodox Imperial Society, with the support of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Lebanese Republic, the Embassy of the Lebanese Republic in the Russian Federation and the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society. The exhibition presented unique artifacts from Lebanese and Russian archives, museums, libraries, and private collections related to Russian travelers visiting Lebanon, as well as the lives and activities of Russian diplomats, sailors, scientists, and entrepreneurs in Lebanon in the 19^th and 20^th centuries, including the life of the Russian community of Beirut, which primarily consisted of the first wave of Russian emigrants and their descendants. A separate section of the exhibition was devoted to the cultural and educational activities of the IOPS in Lebanon, including the Madaris Moscobiyeh (Moscow schools), which are still remembered with gratitude by the Lebanese intellectuals (many graduates of these schools now belong to the intellectual elite of the country). The concept of the exhibition and selection of exhibits was developed by representatives of the community of Russian compatriots in Lebanon, headed by Tatiana Baher (Kuvasheva), who had dedicated many years to the study of historical and cultural heritage of Russians in Lebanon.

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