WHY
The State Hermitage Museum Volunteer Service is implementing the project on the role of the cultural heritage in society. Within this extensive project the international youth forum World Heritage & Youth (WHY) is to take place in Kaliningrad in the following formats: business meetings, round table sittings, lectures, exhibitions and discussions between volunteers from different countries, with participation from museum staff, representatives of historical societies and the citizens of the westerly regions of Russia.
Mission of Volunteers.
All the volunteer projects are united by an important mission: to INSTILL responsibility for CULTURAL HERITAGE preservation. ‛The Educational Role of Culture“ is to be the main theme of discussions and conferences to take place in Kaliningrad.
Experience for further development
The forthcoming business trip is planned under the guidance of the State Hermitage Museum Administration, with the personal participation of the Deputy Director of Exhibitions and Development V.Y. Matveyev. The goal of the trip is not only to inform the public about our important mission but also to get the necessary experience while working jointly with local historians, students, museums, and other youth and governmental organizations.
Working groups
It is planned to visit the historic sites of Kaliningrad city and the Kaliningrad Oblast. The volunteers, with a group of students and members of the Youth Government of Kaliningrad Oblast, will visit museums, schools, and the Naval Base. They will also meet the representatives of historical societies and the personnel of educational institutions.
Heritage of Kцnigsberg/Kaliningrad.
Most activities will be based in Kaliningrad: meetings and conferences on the preservation of cultural heritage and its educational role. During the meetings the participants will be introduced to the activity of local bodies to preserve the heritage, become familiar with the projects of development and education in the field, and have open discussions with the students of Kant University and the representatives of the public organizations.
The special activities of the historic clubs and societies will help the participants to learn about the history of Kцnigsberg and its heritage. The work of the Conference on historic Heritage will include participation in archaeological digs, a tour to the exhibition ‛Old Kцnigsberg“ in the Kaliningrad Art Gallery, the Kaliningrad Zoo and the Cathedral, discussions and lectures on Immanuel Kant, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and other famous citizens of the city.
The Forum Programme for the towns of Kaliningrad Oblast
In the House-Museum of the famous sculptor Herman Brahert in Otradnoe the delegation will learn about the projects for museum activity development and take part in cultural activities. In Svetlogorsk’s Tourist Information centre there will be a volunteers’ meeting with schoolchildren and students, where the volunteers will talk about the ‛Museum of the New Year Tree“ and their other educational projects.
The round table ‛Language in a Changing World“ and the talks with lecturers/teachers about the values of language culture will take place in the Russian Language Centre.
The activists of the local students’ organizations kindly suggested an excursion to Zelenogradsk and a trip to the Curonian Spit. Working meetings and functions will take place in the Forest Museum and at the Ornithological Station addressing the preservation of natural heritage as part of world cultural heritage.
In Baltiysk the members of the working group will have a unique chance to visit the Russian naval vessels and go on an excursion to the Baltic Naval Museum.
Non-formal meetings
On the last day there will be a visit to Bagrationovsk to meet with the members of the historic societies on the study and preservation of the cultural heritage. The meeting will summarize the results of the business trip and include speeches and suggestions for improvement, resulting in a Summary Report.
At the final evening meeting, to take place in the Museum of Amber, the Summary Report will be read to the participants. The participants of the project will be given the floor to exchange their opinions on the trip, to discuss their future plans and possibilities for further cooperation. A non-official view on the meetings will be given, prepared by the joint efforts of volunteers, Kaliningrad students and other programme participants.