Ruslan Gagkuev stressed that it is extremely important to preserve the history of the heroic joint struggle of the peoples of the two countries against fascism.
“The Slovak people consider sacred the memory of the Red Army soldiers and officers who died for the liberation of Europe from Nazism. It is gratifying that this is happening, despite any political circumstances,” the historian said.
During his speech at the Congress, Gagkuev pointed out that for more than five years Matica Slovakskaya and the History of the Fatherland Foundation have been united by a cooperation agreement, under which joint projects are carried out. According to him, strengthening a constructive dialogue with foreign partners has always been one of RIO’s priorities.
“In the first quarter of the 18th century, many people from Eastern Europe, who became Peter’s partners, were in the service of Russia. A prominent place among them is occupied by Savva Lukich Raguzinsky, a Serbian merchant and politician who became a the Russian envoy in Rome, Venice and the Qing Empire About this featured A special documentary and historical exhibition “Russian-Serbian Relations in the Petrine Era”, which opened a year ago in Belgrade with the support of the Russian Historical Society, was called to tell the man and his time”, he said.
The Chairman of the RIO Board said that the second most important priority for the Society is to preserve the memory of the War of Liberation of 1877-1878, which Russia entered not with the desire for geopolitical gain, but with the intention of supporting his Balkan co-religionists. He also recalled that this year, with the support of the History of the Fatherland Foundation, a joint Russian-Bulgarian collection was sold out, combining the memoirs of the participants in the War of Liberation: “The track effect (Russian vision of the Bulgarians and Bulgaria in the late 19th and early 20th centuries)”.
“We are also united by the common memory of the tragedy of the Second World War. It is a pity that today it is increasingly becoming the subject of political speculation. To try to counteract these destructive trends, the Russian Historical Society relies on its European partners.The Second World War, at the initiative of the Russian Historical Society, a particle of the Eternal Flame was delivered from Moscow to the capital of Slovenia, Ljubljana.And in 2021, members of the Slovak Motorcycle Association brought a particle of the Eternal Flame throughout Slovakia, where they lit 268 symbolic lamps,” said the historian.
The executive director of the Fatherland History Foundation also drew attention to the fact that throughout Europe great attention was also paid to traveling historical and documentary exhibitions dedicated to the common struggle against Nazism – “The Road to Victory – historical sources testify” and “Not subject to oblivion”.
“Our cooperation with the International WWII Research Center, established in the Slovenian city of Maribor, has also developed over the years,” he added. hostilities on the territory of the USSR and in Central Europe. Over time, we plan to translate it into all UN languages, as well as, of course, into Slavic languages, at least Serbian and Slovak.”
Ruslan Gagkuev noted that for the fifth year, the Russian Historical Society, together with the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, has been organizing international historical schools for young researchers and teachers, bringing together participants from all over the world. . Young Slavs from Serbia, Slovakia, Moldova, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Belarus have been guests of these schools more than once.
“This allows us to count on the fact that the scientific dialogue between our countries will only develop and strengthen, regardless of the obstacles,” he concluded.
