Russia donates books, copies of Chagall’s letters to Vitebsk university

VITEBSK, 11 April (BelTA) - Collection of books and copies of the letters of Marc Chagall were donated to Vitebsk Masherov State University by the Alexander Solzhenitsyn House of Russia Abroad, BelTA has learnt. Collection includes 300 titles published in 2010-2011 on various subjects: history, religion, art, literature, philosophy, Russian language textbooks, works of contemporary authors such as Pilevich, Rubina, Ulitskaya, etc. During the official ceremony, the Deputy Director of the Alexander Solzhenitsyn House of Russia Abroad, Vladimir Ugarov expressed the hope that the collection will be of interest to students and professors. “It is important that these books are not glossy editions that the bookstores in Russia are overstocked with. We have tried to bring serious works of Russian scientists, writers, researchers that you will not often see on bookshelves in stores and libraries,” he said. Another unexpected gift to Vitebsk university from the Alexander Solzhenitsyn House of Russia Abroad is the copies of two letters from Marc Chagall to another equally famous theater artist to Mstislav Dobruzhinsky. The originals are kept in the archives of the House of Russia Abroad. “We have received these letters from the descendants of the Russian emigrants who now live in Frankfurt am Main. They had a big archive, including these two virtually unknown letters. These copies will be of some interest for researchers,” added Vladimir Ugarov. Vladimir Ugarov said that the Alexander Solzhenitsyn House of Russia Abroad has a quite big book support program. More than 150 exhibitions with book donations were held in 46 countries of Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and Latin America. “We try to develop our contacts with Belarus. Particularly, the Alexander Solzhenitsyn House of Russia Abroad has already presented books to the National Library in Minsk, universities in Mogilev, Gomel and now in Vitebsk. And in June we plan to donate books to the universities in Grodno,” he said.

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