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Czech-Russian society in the Czech Republic

Czech-Russian society (CRS) is a non-governmental organization - an independent civil association which promotes profitable contacts for each other in different fields of culture and social life between citizens of the Czech Republic (CZ) and citizens of the Russian Federation. In the process of realisation of the concrete projects we cooperate with partners of other countries, especially with the Ukraine, with Byelorussia and the Slovak Republic, as well as with organizations of the Czech compatriots.

Czech-Russian society continues the activity of Eastern Nation Friends Society (ENFS). The new name Czech-Russian society (CRS) was adopted 21 January 2006.

CRS is a voluntary, culturally social and humanitarian organization which tries to make possible uniting citizens of CZ without difference in nationality, social and political membership and religion. With its activity CRS wants to contribute to mutual knowledge, understanding and co-operation within the bounds of efforts of world humanisation, European integration and worldwide co-operation. The activity is based on mutual respect, equal partnership, personal, work, cultural, humanitarian and other contacts of the citizens.

CRS works in the whole Czech Republic. The central authority of CRS is Czech Coordination Council (CCC) located in Prague. Its organizational units are regional coordination councils and basic sections (interest clubs). 

CRS closely cooperates with other civic associations, cultural institutions (theatres, cultural centres, libraries, publishing houses etc.), scientific and academic institutions, Ministries of the Czech Republic, embassies of the Czech Republic abroad and with other institutions. It has contacts with foreign partners (diplomatic corps, institutions and non-governmental organizations including associations of compatriots). During this it takes advantage of different forms of co-operation based on interests and possibilities of our members and sympathisers and on offers and possibilities of our foreign partners.

Its activities CRS directs first of all to fields of:

1) culture
2) education
3) humanity
4) initiative of direct contacts between Czech and foreign subjects

Ad 1)  Field of culture

1.1.    CRS organizes presentation of Czech culture abroad by sending Czech interprets and groups of children to foreign exhibitions (Bratislava, Doneck, Madrid, Moscow, Salzburg).
CRS supports the activity of the organizations of Czech compatriots in the Ukraine, in Russia and in other European countries by force of children curative stays in the Czech Republic, as well as other concrete forms of aid.

1.2.    International parade of children’s choirs and dancing groups - is organized by CRS and Theatre of Příbram with support of city Příbram. Its aim is to contribute making contacts and co-operation among children, to exchange the cultural values and to supply promotion of the Czech culture abroad. The group must include two songs written by Czech author(s) or a Czech folk song or a Czech folk dance to the concert repertoire in order to participate. Up to now children’s choirs and dancing groups from 8 countries (Byelorussia, Bulgaria, Germany, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Ukraine and the Czech Republic) have taken part in this parade. The parade concerts take place in the cities of Příbram district; within the parade the choirs also perform in other towns of the Czech Republic.

1.3     In co-operation with eminent Czech publishers and other partners CRS published:

• Anthology of new Czech translation of works of Russian poets (M. Cvetayeva, V. Lebedev, M. Lermontov, B. Pasternak, A. Pushkin and V. Vysockiy).
• Sound mediums with profiles of Russian singers visiting Czech stages (J. Kruglov, N. Marczenko) and audio record with original piano interpretation of Musorgskiy´s Scenes as well.
• Songbooks of folk songs (especially for curative stays participants, compatriots and Czechs at the same age). On the occasion of publishing songbooks called Anthology of Russian songs and Anthology of Ukrainian songs CRS organised concerts where Czech, Russian and Ukrainian performers were participated. (Songbooks of Czech and Slovak folk songs have been published too.) 

1.4     We produced our own literary-musical show Onegin´s wandering in Bohemia, Echoes of Czech and Russian folk songs, Songs of front-line driver and Russian romance that contribute to enriching the culture life in many Czech and Moravian towns.

1.5     Collaborating with foreign partners and with cultural organizations CRS organizes tours of the young Russian artists along the Czech Republic, concerts, meetings of the young interpreters from the Czech Republic, Byelorussia, Russia, the Ukraine and  from other counties within the project Musical Festival – The Inspiration and The Cultural Dialogue.

Ad 2)  Field of education

2.1    ECRS takes an active part in development and improving the knowledge of Russian language. Collaborating with other partners we organize methodical seminars for Russianists, conversation competitions in Russian language for students of all kinds of schools and festival Ars Poetica - Pushkin´s memorial (choral interpretation and poetry reading of Russian authors by students of Czech schools).

2.2     Cooperating with scientific establishments and Ministry of Foreign Affaires of  the Czech Republic CCC CRS organized scientific colloquiums dedicated to the current topics - The role of Slavs in history and in the present (1998), Czech and Russian avant-garde relations (2000), Czech and Slovakian cultural dialogue (2001) and Russian emigration culture and personalities in Czechoslovakia of 1st republic era (2003), Anniversary – 100 years of the death of A.P. Chechof (2004),Russian creation abroad (2005), Anniversary – 60 years of the end of The Second World War (2005); presented articles and other materials were published in the Anthologies.
Cooperating with Pedagogical Faculty of the Charles University we organize a student scientific Slavonic conference of the Czech universities´ students.

2.3     In co-operation with Czech publishers and other Czech partners CRS has published some books from editorial series called Literary history (by now there were published contributions from the history of Lithuanian, Latvian and Ukrainian literature and literature of the nations from Central Asia and Siberia. Monographic studies dedicated to echoes of works of M. Gorkiy, A. S. Pushkin and K. S. Stanislavskiy in Czech surroundings have been published as well).

Within other scientific publications is worth to mention the work of Prof.  PhDr. Světla Mauthauserová, DrSc., called Message of czarist and imperial couriers which gives a scholarly testimony about development of diplomatic relations between Western and Central Europe (including the Crown Lands of Bohemia) and Russia from 15th to 17th century and is a valuable contribution not only to the history of diplomacy but also to a general history of this era.

2.4     In co -operation with the Ministry of Foreign Affaires of the Czech Republic CRS organises summer educational stays for children of Czechs living in the Ukraine and in Russian Federation. Their aim is to improve participants´ conversation skills in Czech language and to strengthen their relationship to the Czech Republic through the direct contact with Czech surroundings - with people, nature, culture, historical monuments and present life.

2.5     CCC CRS publishes its own bulletin - Newsletter CCC where even monothematic materials (e.g. the study dedicated to MCHAT, synoptic information about regions of Russian Federation, the Ukraine and Byelorussia) are published. These informations are presented on our web page too.

Ad 3)   Field of humanitarian activities

3.1     For almost 20 years CRS organizes curative stays for children from areas stricken with Chernobyl’s nuclear accident. Stays usually last three weeks and take place in ecologically clean areas of the Czech Republic (Beskydy, Jeseníky, Orlické hory). Each year about 350 Ukrainian and Belarussian children participate in the curative stay. The aim of the stays is a recondition and strengthening their immune systems. Climatic effect of the curative stay is made completely by quality meals, recreationally sporting, interest and sightseeing programme provided by specialists in Pedagogy according to the rules of gaming therapy. More detailed info here.

3.2     CRS pays attention to the members of the Resistance during the end of The Second World War and participates in taking care of graves and memorials of liberators of Czechoslovakia in the Second World War.

Ad 4)  Initiative and support of direct contacts between Czech and foreign subjects

          Thanks to activities of CRS the direct co-operation between some Czech towns and towns in Russian Federation got more concrete expressions and established the direct co-operation of other subjects (schools, theatres) as well. Within co-operation with Chamber for Business Relations with CIS CRS takes part in establishing direct contacts between business companies in the Czech Republic and in countries of CIS.

C O N T A C T

Adress
Česká rada
Česko-ruské společnosti
V Závětří 4
170 00  Praha 7
CZECH REPUBLIC

Phone: +420 266 71 12 16

e-mail: spnv@spnv.cz
 
Web page: http://www.spnv.cz