Large-Scale Cultural Event is Planned in Paris to Celebrate Saint Petersburg Tercentenary

Paris is planning to hold a large-scale event reflecting Russian-French cultural ties to celebrate the tercentenary of Saint Petersburg. The event will take place under the patronage of Russian and French Presidents Vladimir Putin and Jacques Chirac. This was announced to a Rosbalt correspondent by Interros Holding company, which is the sponsor and initiator of the event. At a meeting of the event organisers in Paris yesterday it was decided that the exhibition 'Paris-Saint Petersburg. 1800-1840' will open on May 20, 2003, in the Hotel des Invalides. The exhibition will include expositions from the State Hermitage museum, the Kremlin museums and the State Museum of History. According to the organisers, the main theme of the event will be the history of Russian and French culture and the intimacy of the two countries in artistic and intellectual terms which is visible in many works of art. It is hoped that this exhibition will display the cultural ties between the two countries and the common trends within European culture and art.

A presentation of the first ever published 'French-Russian Dictionary of Artistic Terminology' is also being planned as well as a concert by eminent Russian performers. It is expected that the exhibition will move to the State Hermitage Museum in September.