Russian Spiritual Culture Days, which took place from 10 to 14 December 2025, have concluded in Bangkok, the capital of the Kingdom of Thailand.
The Days of Russian Spiritual Culture opened on 10 December at the Thailand Cultural Center. Joining the Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra conducted by Maestro Vanit Potavanit, Russian musicians – laureates of the 17th International Tchaikovsky Competition – took the stage: the First Prize winner, pianist Dmitry Masleev; the Third Prize winner, violinist Daniil Kogan; and the Fourth Prize winner, soloist Igor Morozov.
The evening’s program featured world-famous classics including works by Sergei Rachmaninoff, the Waltz from the ballet The Sleeping Beauty and the Polonaise from the opera Eugene Onegin by Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Daniil Kogan performed Waltz-Scherzo and Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, Op. 35: III. Finale – Allegro vivacissimo, and Dmitry Masleev performed Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2. Igor Morozov performed arias from Tchaikovsky’s operas Eugene Onegin and The Queen of Spades, as well as old Russian romances and folk songs.
The opening concert of Russian Spiritual Culture Days started with a moment of silence in memory of the late Queen Sirikit, mother of the reigning monarch, Maha Vajiralongkorn, who passed away in October of this year at the age of 93. Thailand is observing a year-long period of mourning for the Queen Mother.
On 11 December, the Royal Siam Society (Siam Society Under Royal Patronage) hosted the opening of two Russian photo exhibitions: Cultural Heritage of Russia and Kizhi – a Reborn Masterpiece of Russia.
The motto of the Siam Society of Bangkok, “Knowledge Gives Rise to Friendship,” perfectly captures the essense of the Spiritual Culture Days events, which showcased the richness, uniqueness, and deep spiritual traditions of Russian culture.
Evgeny Tomikhin, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Thailand, and Bilaibhan Sampatisiri, President of the Royal Siam Society, addressed the audience with welcoming speeches. Evgeny Tomikhin noted that the opening of the exhibitions “is an event that reflects our long-standing friendship and fruitful collaboration with the Russian Geographical Society, the organization that stands behind one of the exhibitions we had the pleasure to attend. This evening is a testament to the close and growing collaboration between the Russian Embassy, the Russian Geographical Society, and the Royal Siam Society – three institutions united by a commitment to promoting cultural understanding, academic exchange, and enduring friendship. We look forward to further strengthening and expanding this flourishing partnership.”
The exhibition Cultural Heritage of Russia was dedicated to the 180th anniversary of the Russian Geographical Society. It featured works by the winners and finalists of the Most Beautiful Country photo contest, capturing unique historical and architectural monuments from across Russia.
The Kizhi State Museum-Reserve introduced the Thai public to the largest traditional wooden building in the world – the Church of the Transfiguration of Our Lord on Kizhi Island. The exhibition Kizhi: A Reborn Masterpiece of Russia was prepared to mark the completion of the church’s restoration, and featured works by renowned photographer Igor Georgievskiy, a member of the Union of Journalists of Russia.
The twenty-two-domed church, built by anonymous carpenters in 1714, is the heart of the Kizhi Pogost and is considered the eighth wonder of the world. In 1990, the Kizhi Pogost, along with the Moscow Kremlin and the historic center of St. Petersburg, became one of the first three Russian sites to be included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The Days of Russian Spiritual Culture culminated on 14 December with a concert by one of Russia’s oldest professional choirs, the Moscow Synodal Choir. Founded in Moscow in 1721, the choir currently involves 80 singers of various ages. Each year, the choir participates in over 800 church services, gives solo concerts, and takes part in international festivals.
The Moscow Synodal Choir performed at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Bangkok. The program included sacred works by Russian classics of the 19th and 20th centuries, including Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s It Is Truly Meet, Georgy Sviridov’s Holy Love, Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Rejoice of Virgin Mary, Vladimir Martynov’s The Beatitudes, and others. Representatives of various diplomatic missions, ambassadors, and a representative of the Thai royal family attended the concert. The guests also honored the memory of the Queen Mother of Thailand.
The extensive program of the Russian Spiritual Culture Days offered Thai residents the opportunity to enjoy beautiful examples of Russian sacred, classical, and folk music; to “visit” architectural and spiritual gems of Russian Orthodoxy through an exhibition; and to become acquainted with the renowned musical culture. All of this resonated with the grateful and hospitable Thai audience, who greeted our artists with a storm of applause.
The Spiritual Culture Days in the Kingdom of Thailand concluded a series of events within the project, which took place in Zimbabwe, Hungary, Serbia, the Republika Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina), and Indonesia in 2025.
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Russian Spiritual Culture Days is one of the leading international projects of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, aimed at promoting the spiritual and moral values of the Russian people and national culture abroad. Since 2008, events of Russian Spiritual Culture Days have spanned more than 50 countries. The project is carried out in collaboration the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Russian Orthodox Church, and is organized by the Autonomous Nonprofit organization “Russian Seasons.”
