From 24 to 26 May, Days of Russian Spiritual Culture were held in the capital of the Republic of Zimbabwe, the city of Harare, for the first time. The events were organized by the Autonomous Non-profit Organization “Russian Seasons” with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and in close cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and the Russian Orthodox Church.
The concert of the State Song and Dance Ensemble “Altai” named after A.F. Berezikov – a unique company from the Altai Territory that carefully preserves and develops the traditional folklore and national flair of the region – was the main event of the Days of Russian Spiritual Culture in Zimbabwe. The program named Feeling the Soul of Russia consisted of 16 original compositions, including vocal and choreographic ones, such as My Altai is Our Gold, Dear Siberia, Cossack Liberty, as well as songs The Bell Sings Under the Shaft Bow, Moscow Nights, Kalinka.
The dancers from Altai prepared the choreographic piece specially for the Zimbabwean audience – African-style Barynya (Grand lady), a dance joke combining Russian male dance movements with typical elements of the African dance tradition. This dance was a surprise for the guests of the evening.
“Introducing the people of Zimbabwe to the spiritual wealth of Russian culture is a unique opportunity for rapprochement of the two peoples, for their mutual understanding and knowledge. The events within the framework of the Days of Russian Spiritual Culture reflect the original national values of Russia. This is no longer mere cultural diplomacy – it is a true spiritual mission,” noted the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation Olga Lyubimova in her greeting message to the guests at the opening concert.
According to the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Zimbabwe N. Krasilnikov, “the first in many years visit of Russian performers to Zimbabwe is a practical result of the active participation of the Zimbabwean side in the St. Petersburg International United Cultures Forum, on the “fields” of which in 2024 negotiations were held between the Deputy Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation Andrey Malyshev and his Zimbabwean counterpart Emily Jisaya, during which an agreement was reached on holding joint cultural events.”
The concert, as well as the master class Traditional Russian Dance as the Basis of Spiritual and Moral Education conducted by the Altai ensemble, were held as part of the popular Sunshine City Festival and opened the National Culture Month in Zimbabwe. At the same time, two photo exhibitions were presented to African audiences: Multinational Russia by the Russian Geographical Society and Kizhi – a Revived Masterpiece, organized by the Kizhi State Historical, Architectural and Ethnographic Museum-Reserve.
Following the Days of Spiritual Culture, the “Altai” Ensemble was invited to Marondera, a city in the north-east of central Zimbabwe, for creative meetings with students of the Covinis Music Academy and Watershed College. Russian dance and song culture aroused great interest among local youth.
Teresa Covini, Director of Covinis Music Academy, noted that “the concert we attended in Harare was just amazing. The quality of the music, the melodics of the songs, the colourfulness of the national costumes, the interpretation of the movements – I have never seen anything like this in my life. I think Russia has a very beautiful culture that everyone should definitely encounter, and it is a great honour for us to give our students the opportunity to come into contact with Russian culture. I am sure that this will be a life-long experience for them.”
