Russian Literary Festival 2024 opens in capital

Literature can play a major role in building friendship between nations, writer Paul Zacharia said here on Sunday, inaugurating the Russian Literary Festival organised jointly by the Moscow-based Russkiy Mir Foundation and the Russian House in the capital city.

Literature can play a major role in building friendship between nations, writer Paul Zacharia said here on Sunday, inaugurating the Russian Literary Festival organised jointly by the Moscow-based Russkiy Mir Foundation and the Russian House in the capital city.

The event is being organised in connection with the 225th birth anniversary of poet Alexander Pushkin and 135th birth anniversary of poet Anna Akhmatova.

Literature has contributed immensely to strengthening friendly relations between India and Russia, he said. Russian writers are as familiar to Keralites as their own literary figures, he said.

Major Dalbir Singh, Co-Chairman of the Euro-Asian Assembly, said translations of major Russian works into various Indian languages has acquainted Indians with the literary works of that country.

Mikhail Antisferov, Cultural Attaché at the Russian Embassy in New Delhi, said both Pushkin and Akhmatova displayed a strong sense of justice and intolerance to social vices, combined with deep and sincere love to Russa.

Representative of the St. Petersburg University Nadezhda Dubinina also spoke. Ratheesh C. Nair, Honorary Consul of Russia and Director of Russian House in Thiruvananthapuram, said that a series of seminars, competitions for students, recital of Pushkin’s poems and exhibitions would be organised as part of the literature festival. Russian House deputy director Kavitha Nair also spoke.