A state reception and concert were held at the residence of the Russian Ambassador to Italy, Villa Abamelek, to mark Russia Day – a holiday that unites the history, traditions, and hearts of millions of Russians. Symbolically, the evening was part of the Russian Spiritual Culture Days project.
The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Italian Republic and the Republic of San Marino, Alexey Paramonov, and the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the FAO and other international organizations with similar responsibilities in Rome, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Igor Golubovsky, delivered welcoming remarks. Paramonov noted, in particular, that “the most important distinguishing feature of Russia is the multinational and multi-confessional nature of its population. Today, more than 190 nationalities live in our country. They profess the four main traditional faiths in Russia: Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Judaism. Cultural and religious diversity is Russia’s wealth. It unites its citizens, who respect their past, value the present, share common traditions, and understand their interests and prospects in a similar way—inextricably linking their lives with the life of their homeland, Russia.”
The guests of the evening were treated to a performance by the Young Soloists’ Ensemble of the Ossipov National Academic Orchestra of Folk Instruments of Russia—a vibrant, distinctive group of musicians who embrace unparalleled creative experimentation. All members of the Ensemble are virtuoso performers, graduates of Russia’s finest music universities, and winners of national and international competitions. The concert featured masterpieces of Russian music, original works based on folk themes, including I’m Sitting on a Stone, Will I Go Out to the River, and oriental melodies such as Lezginka from the ballet Gayane. The musicians concluded with a performance of the famous Italian song O Sole Mio by Eduardo Di Capua and the internationally beloved Russian song Kalinka — a gesture of friendship between Italy and Russia.
Among the more than 500 guests at the evening were heads of diplomatic missions from Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The guest of honor was Dr. Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Italian political and public figures, representatives of Italian business, members of regional Russian-Italian friendship associations, writers, musicians, Italian participants of the World Youth Festival, students and teachers from Italian universities, compatriots, and journalists were among the guests.
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Russian Spiritual Culture Days is a unique multi-genre project of the Russian Ministry of Culture, aimed at promoting the spiritual and moral values of the Russian people and the richness of Russian culture and art abroad. The project is implemented by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation in close collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and the Russian Orthodox Church. The project is operated by the Autonomous Non-profit Organization Russian Seasons. Since 2008, Russian Spiritual Culture Days events have spanned over 50 countries.
