22.11.2017 – Sergey Skorodumov, Yan Somov.

“The first and the only paragraph of this statute read: 
“If you feel that the law obstructs you, then, 
Taking the statute off the table, put it underneath you. 
And then all this, having become invisible, 
Makes your action a lot easier.””

M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin. “History of one City”

Nobody prevents us from exceeding our laws

The Non-Governmental Nicholas Roerich Museum of the International Center of the Roerichs (ICR) welcomed visitors in the Lopoukhins’ Estate, Moscow. People from different countries came here to admire the paintings of the great Master of Painting, to be acquainted with the scientific and philosophical ideas of Cosmic Evolution, to take part in the annual international scientific forums. Outstanding musicians arranged concerts of classical music in the hall of Svetoslav Roerich in the evenings…

There is nothing of this anymore. Six months ago, under the leadership of officials of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, the Non-Governmental Nicholas Roerich Museum of the ICR was captured and declared a governmental museum of the Roerichs as a branch of the State Museum of Oriental Art. The officials tried very hard to follow the motto of their high-ranking colleague Viktor Chernomyrdin: “Nobody prevents us from exceeding our laws.”

The world has hardly ever seen such a strange cultural institution. It is not so easy to get into it. Strict security guards are ordered to let visitors in the grounds of the estate only by special invitation. Presumably, no one in this institution is going to observe international human rights as regards to common visitors having no access to the cultural heritage [1] .

After this no wonder that the first and the only exhibition of the new state museum, “Light from the Orient”, was visited only by 240 visitors during 20 days (October 6-26, 2017) [2]. An average of 12 people per day. Most likely, this number includes the staff of the new state institution.

According to the director of the State Museum of Oriental Art A. Sedov, the State Roerich Museum is going to demand additional funding of 36 million rubles a year [3]. Why did the officials destroy the Non-Governmental Nicholas Roerich Museum, which was a success in its operating without state subsidies? And for what purpose are the officials going to establish a new strict regime museum on the ruins? It’s pretty hard for an ordinary man to understand. We will try to deal with it step by step.

When passing the legacy of his family back home, Svetoslav Roerich put forward two prerequisites. Firstly, the Museum named after Nicholas Roerich should have a non-governmental status, and secondly, be located in the Moscow Lopoukhins’ Estate. The government gave Svetoslav Roerich all the necessary guarantees [4].

For a quarter of a century under the leadership of Lyudmila Shaposhnikova, Director – General and the confidant of Svetoslav Roerich, the Non-Governmental Nicholas Roerich museum was a real magnet of beauty and new science. The cooperation with advanced scientists, cultural figures and representatives of the public was increasing every year. The exhibition of the International Center of the Roerichs “The Roerich Pact. History and Modernity” was a success in 17 countries. The ICR was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for this planetary scale project. Multilateral peacekeeping activities of the ICR were supported by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon; UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation represented by Minister Sergey Lavrov; and Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations V. Churkin; as well as by heads of other authoritative international organizations.

One could hardly imagine that the only one government official, Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky, easily reconsider and violate government guarantees provided to Svetoslav Roerich, and the history of the Roerichs’ legacy acquire a criminal character.

Criminal history

On the night of April 28 to April 29, 2017, the officials of the State Museum of Oriental Art got a go-ahead for storming the Non-Governmental Nicholas Roerich Museum. An unmarked team of several dozen bouncers grabbed the estate with the entire museum collection of the ICR. The workers of the Non-Governmental Nicholas Roerich Museum were put out of the gate. In the morning, the State Investigations Office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in the hot pursuit, formalized the transfer of the ICR property to the new owner, that of the State Museum of Oriental Art in the person of its director A. Sedov, for “safe custody” without having made any inventory.

The priceless paintings and archives of the Roerichs’ family, as well as personal belongings of the museum workers, have been still in the hands of the nouveaux riches, glittered with power. Prior to this capture, an international legal practice has ever known such drastic example of illegal interference in the work of an authoritative international cultural organization.

For executing the most “dirty work”, the directorate of the State Museum of Oriental Art turned out to hire a private security agency “Phoenix” LLC [5]. This hired special division was rewarded by the State Museum of Oriental Art beyond imagining by the sum of 2.5 million rubles, or just over 43 thousand of US dollars for such abecedarian and short-lived special operation against museum workers, most of whom were women. Of course, at the expense of the State. By the way, the private mercenary armies of the third world countries may envy such earnings. But if the jackpot has been estimated by Minister Medinsky in the amount of more than 15 billion rubles [6], then, as they say, “any trade-off is not appropriate here.”

The museum workers of the ICR and their voluntary assistants, whose human rights were cynically violated by Minister Medinsky, go on fulfilling their duty in good faith. For six months, they are at the fence of the Lopoukhins’ estate on duty to tell the visitors, who cannot get to the Museum, about the outstanding members of the Roerich family. The volunteers are conducting virtual tours of the halls of the captured Museum by means of illustrated catalogs.

But their feasible work in the name of the country’s culture is becoming more dangerous. The role of a voluntary supervisor at the gate of the regime object is now performed by a legal adviser of the State Museum of Oriental Art Yu. Izbachkov. He arranges public demonstrative actions such as to tear up a reproduction of Nicholas Roerich’s picture “Saint Sergius”, tear off the Banner of Peace from the car of the museum workers and even to hit a woman, that of the advocate of the ICR [7]. All his actions are accompanied by obscene insults, threats, socially dangerous behavior. This is being done with the indifference and inaction of the local police. The Internet is full of photo- and video- evidences of hooligan tricks of this man, drunk by his own authority [8]. But the police and the prosecutor’s office, as if on someone’s command, methodically put the numerous statements of his victims under the cloth.

When one looks at this surreal picture, one realizes that nothing good could have come about from the raider capture of the Non-Governmental Nicholas Roerich Museum. Violence can generate only disgrace. Neither culture nor beauty can grow out of crimes and impunity.

Moreover, there are many reasons to assume that the new state museum of strict regime is a temporary phenomenon. It is very likely that in the future, its halls will turn into profitable offices, and the Roerich paintings can at best be in storerooms, at worst at auctions and in private collections, as has already happened with the collection of George Roerich [9].

Golden Ladder with Crystal Handrails

According to the official version of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and personally Minister V. Medinsky, the capture of the estate was undertaken exclusively with the purpose of its protection. At the day of the seizure, Medinsky tried to justify his unlawful actions. On the official website of the Ministry of Culture, there appeared a message: “The State Museum of Oriental Art has taken measures to ensure the safety of the Lopoukhins’ estate.” [10].

After such a statement, it would be logical to see a team of restorers, humming machinery, rapid installation of stagings in the grounds of the estate… Alas. Six months passed. The time would seem to be enough to start at least any work to restore the allegedly collapsing manor. But absolutely nothing has followed the raider’s capture of the Non-Governmental Nicholas Roerich Museum. Perhaps the officials are pressed of funding. Nothing of that kind! Significant public funds are spent on anything, but the Lopoukhins’ estate.

According to official figures, the officials allocated 2.22 million rubles to create the Internet portal “Roerich’s heritage” [11]; those of 12.25 million rubles to organize and conduct the exhibition “Nicholas Roerich: An Ascent” in Russia and the USA [12]; not less than 76.93 million rubles, that is, 1.29 million of US dollars to restore the central staircase of the Museum-Institute of the Roerichs’ family in St. Petersburg [13]. And this is not counting 17.57 million rubles for other restoration works in this museum [14].

It will take some work to contrive how to spend all these money in the framework of the projects mentioned. One can imagine a royal banquet at the opening of the Internet portal “Roerich’s heritage”, a golden staircase with crystal handrails in the Museum-Institute of the Roerichs’ family, as well as an unforgettable trip of the leadership of the Ministry of Culture of Russia to America to the Roerich exhibition.

No penny has been planned or allocated to support and restore the Lopoukhins’ estate. This means only that the cause for the forcible capture of the estate and destruction of the Non-Governmental Nicholas Roerich Museum was not the Ministry’s caring for technical condition of the estate. That’s quite another. But what exactly? In order to get an answer to this, we are to get acquainted with the economical projects of the leadership of the State Museum of Oriental Art.

A museum or an apartment house?

On August 11, 2017, the State Museum of Oriental Art concluded an agreement for an independent construction and technical expertise of buildings 4 and 7 of the Lopoukhins’ estate [15] with a certain LLC “Scientific – Expert and Legal Center “Avangard,“ registered on May 11, 2017. That is, this Scientific-Expert center did not exist at all three months before the conclusion of this agreement.

Do you think that the Avangard Center has been tasked to estimate the costs to remove the imaginable damages of the Lopoukhins’ estate? Nothing of this kind! The expert was instructed to “estimate the values at current prices of the necessary and sufficient works and materials to repair the premises of each building (without the adjacent territory) in order to bring the layout of the premises to the condition at the date of transfer to the User (as of 1993 when transferring the land plot with structures).”

Let us recall that from 1965 to 1993 the monument of cultural heritage of the XVII-XIX centuries “The Lopoukhins’ Estate” was used by one of the trusts of the Ministry of Heavy Machinery of the USSR [16] for prudential needs and the estate was brought to a poor condition. Thanks to Svetoslav Roerich and the guarantees he received from the Government, in 1993 the ICR began to restore the Lopoukhins’ estate from the ruins and create the Non-Governmental Nicholas Roerich Museum in it. The current leaders of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and the State Museum of Oriental Art intentionally keep silent about the cost of the estate restoration of more than 1 billion rubles (!), owing to donations of patrons and those of the public of Russia and other countries. [17].

Judging by official documents, the officials are going to “save” the estate (that is in excellent condition) by rebuilding the museum complex into an administrative construction, as it was by 1993. The calculations are in progress. The Lopoukhins’ Estate in the center of Moscow seems to get more profitable use than that of service the revival of Russian culture.

Thus, the undertaken “measures to ensure the safety of the Lopoukhins’ estate” is one more myth of the minister Medinsky, by which he is shielding the criminal seizure of the beautiful and successfully operated non-governmental museum complex and the plan to further its liquidation. The state museum of strict regime, hastily organized by Medinsky in the Lopoukhins’ estate seems to be nothing more than a sham to divert attention and calm the public opinion.

The Inquisition at State Account

The leaders of the Ministry of Culture and the State Museum of Oriental Art have planned to eliminate not only the museum complex, but the International Center of the Roerichs, which stands guard over the notarized will of Svetoslav Roerich. The expectations of the officials are perfectly clear and transparent. If to destroy the social organization to which Svetoslav Roerich transferred the legacy of his family, the access to the multi-million cultural treasure will be open to them. How to do it? It’s elementary. The officials try to present the ICR, a world-renowned cultural and scientific organization, as a sect and blame it for extremism so then to liquidate it through the court.

In April 2017, the Director of the State Museum of Oriental Art A. Sedov concluded an agreement with LLC “New Security Systems Group of Companies.” This time an order was given to provide “a set of services to make an expert opinion on the ideological position and ideological activities of the IPO “The International Center of the Roerichs”; to prepare a summary report with a view to identifying the characteristics falling within the definition of a religious doctrine (a religious sect, a religious group), according to the terms of reference (Appendix No. 1).” [18].

The price of the contract was 400 thousand rubles [19]. The piquancy of the situation is that the main activity of the mentioned LLC is that of “consulting on matters of commercial activity and management”, and 11 additional ones imply such specializations as “an installation of industrial machines and equipment”, “an operation of the office”, and the like [20]. It’s a kind of Jack- of- all- trades organization. However, if money is offered, why not work it out? Moreover, at present it is much easier to make a customized expert opinion [21]. Especially when the case is simplified by an unobtrusive hint in Appendix No. 1 to the treaty: “To analyze the main tenets of the Agni-Yoga teachings in comparison with the religious teachings of the New Age. To conduct an analysis of the literary creativity of the staff of IPO “the ICR” in terms of a religious component presence.”

In fact, the Ministry of Culture, by the aid of the State Museum of Oriental Art, is looking for the presence of a “religious component” in numerous fundamental scientific works of Lyudmila Shaposhnikova, an Indologist, Philosopher, Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, Academician of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences and K.E. Tsiolkovsky Russian Academy of Astronautics, Honorary Doctor of Sofia University, Honorary Doctor of Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Honorary Doctor of Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University. These are her works that make up a significant part of the “literary creativity of the staff of IPO “the ICR”. All of them are based on the philosophy of the Roerichs.

Lyudmila Shaposhnikova is rightly considered the founder of a new scientific school of modern Roerich studies. Lyudmila Shaposhnikova was awarded the Order of Friendship and the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, IV degree. Her scientific activity is recognized in many countries of the world.

Certainly, these experts of a broad profile are certain to omit in their summary decision that the scientific nature of Nicholas and Helena Roerichs’ philosophical views was confirmed by Library and Bibliographic Classification published in 2012 [22]. The Russian State Library, the Russian National Library and the Library of the Academy of Sciences were working on its release. Philosophical views of the Roerichs along with the world outlook of the world-famous scientists V.Vernadsky and A.Chizhevsky are referred to the heading of “Russian Philosophy – Cosmism.”

The fact that the philosophy of Living Ethics has nothing to do with the “New Age religious teaching,” has been proved many times. The term “New Age” was used by the occultist Alice Bailey, who was sharply criticized by Helena Roerich [23]. The direction of “New Age” is characterized by whateverism and a superficial understanding of the Orient philosophical systems. In addition, “New Age” has nothing in common with the philosophy of Russian cosmism.

For a quarter of a century scientists and prominent public figures were cooperating with the ICR [24], studying the philosophy of Living Ethics. A lot of proceedings of scientific conferences and other publications were edited, and a number of dissertations defended [25].

Back in 2001, a scientific expertise of the cultural and educational activities of the International non-governmental organization “The International Center of the Roerichs” was conducted by the Full Doctor of Philosophy, the professor of Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MSIIR) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, a well-known religious scholar V. Glagolev. The conclusions of the expertise, which were published more than 15 years ago, stated, “the International Center of the Roerichs is essentially a cultural and educational organization, and therefore it does not represent a sect, a totalitarian sect, or a religious sect on any of the grounds on which a sect is identified in contemporary scientific literature. Therefore, in particular, the activities of the ICR cannot be characterized as religious ones (there is no mythology, cult practice, and stable organization of a religious charismatic type).“ [26].

It is unlikely that the experts of LLC “New Security Systems Group of Companies” will take all these facts into account, their conclusions were apparently predetermined financially. Politician ideological censorship of the ICR books (1991-2017), initiated by the Medinsky’s Ministry of Culture, regarding the philosophy of the Roerichs, might result in banning of the exhibition of the Non-Governmental Nicholas Roerich Museum in Russia, violent separation of the great Master’s painting from his philosophical views and even in distortion of his paintings’ interpretation, reflecting the essence of this philosophy, such as “Agni Yoga”, “The Song of Shambhala”, “Chintamani”, “Burning of Darkness”, “Fiat Rex” …

It is very likely that today’s head of the Ministry of Culture is becoming a source of new drastic tension in society. If the country’s leadership keeps silent even this time, one will be able to talk about modern inquisition establishing in Russia with all its functions, and at state expense.

Nature Reserve of Public Culture

In 1992, Svetoslav Roerich notarized [27] the transfer of ownership rights to the paintings and archives of his family under the law of India, of which he was a citizen. This fact is legally indisputable. The Ministry of Culture does not even try to prove the contrary in Russian courts, let alone Indian or international ones. Neither the Ministry of Culture nor the State Museum of Oriental Art ever had or have any documents on the Roerichs’ heritage. But, as everyone knows, the full doctor of historical sciences Medinsky is a master of “interpretation of historical events and facts in the paradigm of state interests” [28].

This skill was useful to the minister to lie publicly at the State Duma on May 17, 2017. He said in his speech that the Ministry of Culture “had managed to return” an invaluable collection of the Soviet Roerich Foundation “to the ownership of the Russian Federation”, the collection, that for more than a quarter of a century was held by a certain private organization. [29]

A few days before the fiery speech of the invariably “truthful” Minister Medinsky, there appeared an information on the portal of the Unified Information System in the field of procurement [30], on the conclusion of a highly paid contract of the State Museum of Oriental Art with LLC “New Security Systems Group of Companies” for it to find (attention!) a legal “reasoning for the Russian Federation’s rights on the legacy of Svetoslav Roerich, transferred by him to the Soviet Foundation of the Roerichs.” The term of the agreement is to December 31, 2017. It follows that Medinsky and those who carried out his orders knew perfectly well that they were committing a robbery on April 28, 2017, seizing the collection and property of the Non-Governmental Nicholas Roerich Museum.

Minister Medinsky is under time-pressure. He is to present not lip service, paid by him at the Duma rostrum [31], but much more weighty arguments. The only downside is that it’s nowhere to get them. It remains only to pay handsome fee the “experts” from LLC “New Security Systems Group of Companies” in order they go there, do not know where, and bring it, I do not know what.

The words of Svetoslav Roerich proved that all the efforts of the officials were in vain, “As I already said, subordination of the Center to the Ministry of Culture or to the Museum of Oriental Art would unreasonably and wittingly narrow down the tasks and the opportunities of the Center. In my opinion, the Center must have significant independence, flexibility and the ability to function regardless of bureaucratic barriers using new, non-traditional approaches and appealing directly to the international community.”[32].

Svetoslav Roerich warned, “many organizations and people will certainly ask and demand some parts of the heritage” [33], referring to the fact that they can better dispose of it. And yet Svetoslav Roerich due to his high honesty and honor hoped to the end that the country’s leadership would fulfill its obligations.

Unfortunately, the most unfavorable development of this history has turned the Lopoukhins’ estate that of the reserve of rapidly disappearing social form of culture in Russia, into a zone of lawlessness, where the Constitution of the Russian Federation and international law are powerless. Almost a quarter of a million people has protested against this development by signing a petition in defense of the ICR and its Non-Governmental Nicholas Roerich Museum [34].

In order to save the disappearing culture of Russia the representatives of law enforcement bodies and the Russian Government are to show themselves strong enough to hear the voice of the people and stop the excesses of the officials of the Ministry of Culture and the State Museum of Oriental Art. For there is no bright future without the culture.

And the defenders of the Non-Governmental Nicholas Roerich Museum become more and more convinced in their future victory. They are sure that those who committed the raider seizure will be held accountable for their act and will find themselves in the remote location of the country, and then on the margins of the world’s history. The heritage of the Roerichs will be saved, and the Non-Governmental Nicholas Roerich Museum will open its doors to welcome visitors!

Svetoslav Roerich’s behest “One can’t delay” is more relevant today than ever. The people of Russia, having for centuries kept a rich Russian culture, should hear it. Otherwise, our children and grandchildren will have to look out at the state museums of strict regime through the lattice of fences for all their lives, and will be acquainted with a social form of culture exclusively through a history book.

Sergey Skorodumov, 
Member of the International Writers’ Association (Russia)

Yan Somov, 
lawyer (Belarus)

NOTES:

[1] Universal Declaration of Human Rights (article 27), International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (art. 15), Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, general comment (art. 21, para. 15), A / HRC / 17/38 (para. 78).

[2] The State Museum of the Roerichs. Milestones of development (group). Message from the 05.11.2017 at 12-53. // Facebook (official website). Access mode: https:// goo.gl/Y6h4wL, https:// goo.gl/dphpRW

[3] Members of the collegium of the Ministry of Culture approved the draft concept of the Museum of the Roerichs’ family // Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation (official website), 16.02.2017. Access mode: https:// goo.gl/gUjCGe

[4] See: Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR on November 4, 1989, No. 950 “On the Soviet Roerich Foundation and the N.K. Roerich Center-Museum” and the Moscow Government Resolution No. 812 of October 3, 1995.

[5] Procurement dated 26.04.2017 No. 31705060821, No. 31705060794, No. 31705060791 // Official site of the unified information system in the field of procurement.

[6] V.Medinsky: the Roerichs’ heritage will return to Russia’s ownership secured // RIA Novosti (official website). 17.05.2017. Access mode: https:// ria.ru/culture/20170517/1494480477.html

[7] Lawyer of the State Museum of the Oriental Arts arranged a fight in the Roerich Museum // International Center of the Roerichs (official website). 27.10.2017. Access mode: http://www.icr.su/eng/news/icr/detail.php?ELEMENT_ID=5611

[8] Chronicle of the capture of the Non-Governmental Nicholas Roerich Museum (updated) // We will save the Roerich Museum (official website). Access mode: https://save.icr.su/en/2017/11/6063/

[9] Revyakin D.Yu. The ruinous heritage: Moscow apartment of George Roerich: Catalog. Photo chronicle. Archival documents. Moscow: International Center of the Roerichs, 2010. 500 p .: ill.

[10] News of the Ministry. Statement on the situation around the Lopoukhins’ Estate and the International Center of the Roerichs // Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation (official website). 28.04.2017. Access mode: https:// goo.gl/kHr8ce, https:// goo.gl/3VrVpF

[11] Purchase No 0173100007716000595 of 11.08.2016 // Official site of the unified information system in the field of procurement. Access mode: https://goo.gl/DHF7wv

[12] Purchase No 0173100007717000396 dated 28.09.2017 // The official site of the unified information system in the field of procurement. Access mode: https://goo.gl/HqEsgH

[13] Procurement No 0372200180316000008, No. 0372200180316000013, No. 0372200180317000007 // The official site of the unified information system in the field of procurement. Access mode: https://goo.gl/hcEn4T, https://goo.gl/j79rDv, https://goo.gl/Nuq2L3

[14] The list of purchases for the Institute – Museum of the Roerichs’ family in St. Petersburg // The official site of the unified information system in the field of procurement. Access mode: https://goo.gl/GCVnbD

[15] Construction and technical expertise agreement dated August 11.08. 2017 // Official site of the unified information system in the procurement sphere. Access mode: https://goo.gl/HNtVh5

[16] The Lopoukhins’ Estate. Historical information // International Center of the Roerichs (official website). Access mode: http://www.icr.su/rus/museum/house/history/

[17] An open letter of representatives of 84 Roerich and socio-cultural organizations of Russia and other states that took part in the meeting “Non-Governmental Nicholas Roerich Museum of the International Center of the Roerichs needs protection”, held on February 22, 2014 in Moscow // International Council of the Roerich Organizations named after Svetoslav Roerich. (official website). Access mode: http://www.roerichs.com/Publications/Centre-Museum/18.htm (Source: Novaya Gazeta, 2014. March 31, No. 34).

[18] Procurement dated 26.04.2017 No. 31705060825 // Official site of the unified information system in the field of procurement. Access mode: https://goo.gl/gRwSgL

[19] Protocol dated 26.04.2017 to procurement No. 31705060825 // Official site of the unified information system in the field of procurement. Access mode: https://goo.gl/ZVxvko

[20] Information about LLC “NSS CG”// For honest business (official website). Access mode: https://goo.gl/gQvuvg

[21] Experts for special purposes. They fulfill any order for a verdict, they will find everything you need // Novaya Gazeta (official website). 15.09.2017, No. 102. Access mode: https://goo.gl/ZBWGjp

[22] Library and Bibliographic Classification. Middle tables. of 9 issues. Issue. 5: 80/88 “Philological Sciences. Fiction. Art. Art history. Religion. Philosophy. Psychology: a practical guide / Rus. state library, Rus. nat. library, Library of Rus. Acad. Sciences. Moscow: Pashkov’s House, 2012. 600 p.

[23] H. Roerich. Criticism of Alice Bailey // Yaroslavl Roerich Society “Orion” (official website). Access mode: http://yro.narod.ru/zaschitim/antibailey/bailey.htm

[24] Living Ethics – is not a religion, but a system of scientific knowledge of the world // International Center of the Roerichs (official website). 29.12.2016. Access mode: access: http://www.icr.su/eng/protection/ethics/living-ethics-non-religion.php

[25] Chronological index of books and dissertations in the field of Roerich studies // Handbook of the Roerichs’ heritage. Vol. I: Russian and foreign researchers of the Roerichs’ heritage / under the general. ed. of L.V. Shaposhnikova. M .: ICR, 2014. P. 329-335.

26] “Scientific examination of the cultural and educational activities of the International Center of the Roerichs”, by Full Doctor of Philosophy, Professor of MSIIR Glagolev V.S. // Protect the name and heritage of the Roerichs. Volume 1. Documents. Publications in the press. Essays. Moscow: International Center of the Roerichs, 2001. P. 320-324.

[27] The Act on the transfer of ownership rights in favor of the International Center of the Roerichs by Svetoslav Roerich dated October 22, 1992, certified by an Indian notary in Bangalore // International Center of the Roerichs (official website). Access mode: https://goo.gl/YIo6xH

[28] Statement of the members of the Expert Council of the Higher Attestation Commission on History attached to the Ministry of Education and Science on 13.10.2017. Access mode: https://publizist.ru/blogs/108209/20744/

[29] Report of the International Center of the Roerichs on the speech of the Minister of Culture, V.R. Medinsky in the State Duma of the Russian Federation on 17.05. 2017 // # SaveMuseum of Roerich | #SaveRoerichMuseum (official website). Access mode: https://goo.gl/KFeV2A

[30] Procurement No. 31705060832 dated April 26, 2017 // Official site of the unified information system in the field of procurement. Access mode: https://goo.gl/um7mC8

[31] V. Medinsky: the Roerichs’ heritage will be returned to Russia’s ownership secured // RIA Novosti (official website). 17.05.2017. Access mode: https:// ria.ru/culture/20170517/1494480477.html

[32] Svetoslav Roerich. One can’t delay! // The newspaper “Soviet Culture”, 29.07.1989.

[33] The address of Svetoslav Roerich to the members of the board of the Soviet Roerich Foundation, 28.11.1989 // International Center of the Roerichs (official website). Access mode: http://lib.icr.su/node/15

[34] Petition “Follow the will of Svetoslav Roerich – save the non-governmental Nicholas Roerich Museum”// Change.org (official website). Access mode: http://goo.gl/vYSutS

On August 22, 2017, the 9th Arbitration Court of Appeal refused the appeal of the International Center of the Roerichs (ICR) against the unlawful decision of the Moscow Arbitration Court in the case № А40 163033/2016 (on application by the State Museum of Oriental Arts to the International Center of the Roerichs on termination of rent-free agreements and eviction of the ICR from the buildings 4 and 7 of the Lopoukhins’ estate).

We have seen once again that today in Russia there is no justice capable of protecting the legitimate interests of a non-governmental organization. We have seen how officials, in our case, the leadership of the Ministry of Culture, seek to take away all property belonging to a non-governmental organization (we mean the Roerichs’ Heritage) and the cultural heritage site (the Lopoukhins’ Estate, restored by the ICR without government financial support).

Without having the full text of the decision of the 9th Arbitration Appeal Court on the complaint of the International Center of the Roerichs in hand, we cannot give a detailed assessment to it. However, proceeding from the process of the court session itself, we can conclude, that the ICR was once again denied the right to be protected: the request for a forensic examination regarding the real technical state of the Lopoukhins’ estate was rejected (the ICR is accused of having allegedly brought the estate to an unsatisfactory state). No long-standing cultural activity of the ICR has been taken into account as the Court has refused to recognize the ICR as a cultural organization. The Court has unsubstantially affirmed that the ICR has allegedly registered 17 commercial organizations in the Lopoukhins’ Manor-place. And much more. All this proves that the authorities has made the liquidation of the ICR their first priority.

The main reason for such decision is that the International Center of the Roerichs and its non-governmental museum named after N.K. Roerich have been successfully working throughout its 25-year history. It has been heeding the behest of its founder, S.N. Roerich, to preserve and popularize the heritage of our great compatriots. Its activity was awarded by state honours of the Presidents of the Russian Federation, numerous letters of thanks of the ministries and departments of Russia, as well as the letters of appreciation of the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Director-General of UNESCO, Ms. Irina Bokova. But destructive policy pursued by the leadership of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and by V. Medinsky personally in relation to the ICR and its non-governmental
Museum made the authorities to change their attitude towards the ICR. As a result, the actions of the leadership of the State Museum of Oriental Arts go unpunished. On the night of April 28 29th, 2017, the Lopoukhins’ estate, all the Roerichs’ heritage belonging to the ICR and other property, including personal belongings of the staff, was seized by force. All this happened before the court decision on the ICR eviction from the Lopoukhins’ estate would enter into legal force. At the same time, the officials with the help of law enforcement agencies, supervisory and judicial bodies seek to destroy our non-governmental organization and justify the robbery on the part of the State Museum of Oriental Arts in relation to the ICR.

All this convincingly demonstrates the negative attitude of the authorities towards the Roerichs’ heritage and the Roerichs themselves. Investigating, preserving and popularizing the unique cultural heritage of our outstanding compatriots turned out to be unnecessary to the authorities. That is why everything is being done not only to destroy the International Center of the Roerichs and its non-governmental museum, but also to bury the very heritage of the Roerichs into oblivion. That is why a few days after the capture of the Lopoukhins’ manor, the employees of the State Museum of Oriental Arts tore off the Banner of Peace from the flagpole located in front of the non-governmental museum named after N.K. Roerich. The Banner of Peace is a distinctive flag of the Roerich Pact – the first international treaty for the protection of cultural property. It was the foundation of UNESCO’s legal mechanisms to protect cultural heritage sites. The Banner of Peace was consecrated in Christian churches in 1931 and in 2013. The UN Secretaries General and the Director-General of UNESCO, heads of states and heads of parliaments gratefully received the Banner of Peace from the ICR. It has suddenly become undesirable in Russia.

Just like the Living Ethics, the scientific and philosophical Teaching, revealing the laws of the evolution of Man and the Cosmos, their unity and interrelation. It was the source of inspiration and creativity of the Roerichs. S.N. Roerich donated this great legacy to Russia provided that the non-governmental museum named after N.K. Roerich would be established on its base. Moreover, the museum should be located in the Lopoukhins’ estate. Today the heritage turned out to be unnecessary to the officials. That is why the state refuses to fulfill its obligations, given to S.N. Roerich, that is why there is a hunt for those who have been preserving and popularizing this heritage for more than a quarter of a century. This is the main objective of fighting the ICR.

The International Center of the Roerichs will continue to uphold the will of S.N. Roerich regarding the non-governmental museum named after N.K. Roerich, to assert its legal rights to the Roerichs’ heritage and the Lopoukhins’ estate, as well as the right to maintain its cultural activities within the framework of the legislation and its Charter.

03.06.2017 – On May 31st, 2017 at 3 p.m., the Adamson-Erika Museum in Tallinn hosted the International Press Conference “Tragical destruction in Moscow of one of the largest European museums – the N.K. Roerich Museum”.

In Moscow, after 25 year of successful work, the International Centre & Museum of the Roerichs (ICR) has been seized and robbed. For many years, many non-governmental organizations and societies in the European Union, such as from Estonia, Latvia, Bulgaria, Finland, Germany, Austria, and also in countries outside the EU, such as Belarus and Latin America, have cooperated with this international non-governmental organization. In the night from April 28th to 29th, the buildings and all property of the ICR, located close to the Kremlin, had been seized by employees of the State Orient Museum with the support of forced bodies without recognition badges. The whole action happened without presentation of documents, without judicial decision, and is absolutely illegal.

N.K. Roerich – he was founder of International right on the field of preservation of culture, one of the greatest artist of Russia and the whole world, author of around 7,000 paintings. Roerich’s paintings belong to the most valuable lots at international auctions.

The International Centre of the Roerichs created the large N.K. Roerich Museum, being at world’s top level, which possesses the largest collection of paintings of the Roerichs. The collection includes about 900 paintings and drawings, representing an enormous value of art.

Today, all property, financial documents and personal belongings of the organization and its employees are under arrest. For more than 20 days, the team of the organization and the museum are not allowed to their workspace and are deprived of legal protection. The technical service staff of the ICR is not allowed to enter which leads to serious danger of damage to the cultural Roerichs’ heritage. Governmental bodies do not react on the claim to stop this lawlessness. The help of the international society and the mass media is urgently necessary.

The intruders of the International Centre of the Roerichs, which are the State Museum of Oriental Arts and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, do not have any legal rights on the artistic values, the property and the documents of the International Centre of the Roerichs. They exclusively act with methods of force and do not want to assert their right at court, because they do not have any documents giving them the possibility to claim ICR’s property.
The international society has tried to find defenders of legality within governmental structures in the Russian Federation and large non-governmental organizations taking care of museum activities. But nobody has been found.
In order to hide their illegal actions, the leadership of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation und its subordinated institutions mispresent events, openly lie to the press und the members of the Russian parliament (Gosduma).

The participants of the Press Conference read out:
Address of Marga Koutsarova, international legal counsel from Bulgaria. In her address, Madame Koutsarova pointed out, that “the destruction of the non-governmental N.K. Roerich Museum has been executed in gross violation of all basic principles of right!… Taking into account the extraordinary heavy character of the destruction of the non-governmental Museum, which is a criminal offence on culture, we completely support the appeal of the International Centre of the Roerichs to create an international working group, which should investigate the accepted destruction of the N.K. Roerich Museum of the ICR, to work out the necessary steps to return the Roerichs’ heritage and the buildings belonging to the International Centre of the Roerichs. Furthermore, this working group should initiate necessary legal acts to prohibit in future any destruction of a non-governmental museum anywhere in Europe!” Read the contribution

Address of Dr. Evgenij Shunejko, art expert, member of the Belarus Artist Union, activist of the Belarus Republican Society for Friendship with Foreign Countries: “I personally, as art expert and artist, always support the position that force and lawlessness in no case can serve as an argument in situations of dispute, especially when we are dealing with culture and spirituality. Our history shows us sufficient examples, when cultural heritage was confronted with most cruel measures”.
Read the contribution

In the Press Conference participated:

Elena Alexandrova, chairwoman of the Estonian Roerich Society, chairwoman of the Coordination Council of the European Association for the Support of the Centre&Museum of the Roerichs (Estonia) Read the contribution

Natalya Cherkashina, acting director of the N.K. Roerich Museum, board member of the International Centre of the Roerichs, museologist (Russia) Read the contribution

Halina Schneider, chairwoman of the German Roerich Society, Secretary of the European Association for the Support of the Centre&Museum of the Roerichs (Germany) Read the contribution

Marianna Ozolinya, chairwoman of the Latvian Roerich Society, poet (Latvia) Read the contribution
Andrej Miller, board member of the Estonian Roerich Society (Estonia) Read the contribution

Peeter Vyakhi, composer, board member of the Estonian Composer Union, member of the Estonian Academic Eastern Society (Estonia) See video contribution
Moderator: Dr. phil. David Sveviov, historian, professor at the Estonian Academy of Arts, winner of the European Citizens Prize 2016.

Language of the Press Conference: Russian/Estonian

02.05.2017 – Statement of the International Centre of the Roerichs concerning the armed seizure of the Lopoukhins estate carried out by the State Museum of Oriental Art on 28 – 29 April 2017 with the support from law enforcement agencies aimed at the annihilation of the non-governmental Museum named after Nicholas Roerich and the seizure of the Roerichs heritage, belonging to the International Centre of the Roerichs

A short chronicle of events

Around 9 p.m. on 28 April 2017 [Friday] the Director General of the State Museum of Oriental Art (SMOA), Alexander Sedov and his colleagues, accompanied by a specialized unit with no insignia that would allow their identification, made an attempt to seize the non-governmental Museum named after Nicholas Roerich of the International Centre of the Roerichs and other buildings of the Lopoukhins estate, in which the ICR has been lawfully based since the beginning of the 1990’s, as well as to seize the preserved in the Museum Roerichs heritage. The above said specialized unit with no insignia neutralized and dismissed the Museum security guarding the Lopukhins estate territory, while the Director of SMOA Sedov could present no final court decision that has entered into force since he had decided not to wait for an appellate decision of the Arbitration court on the case of termination of the agreement for free use by the ICR of the Lopukhins estate and the eviction of the ICR therefrom. At that time the concert of the famous Bulgarian musician, Mr. Atanas Kurtev, had just ended and he found himself a witness of the attempted seizure of the non-governmental Museum.

Thanks to the intervention of the local Moscow police and a called by the International Centre of the Roerichs unit of security we managed to prevent the seizure. The SMOA personnel were made to leave the Museum premises, together with the accompanying them persons with no insignia that would indicate their belonging to one of the units of the special law enforcement agencies. The museum was placed under seal and was given to the responsibility of safeguards.

Nevertheless the mentioned above persons without insignia that acted in the interests of SMOA, had already blocked the entrances and exits to all buildings belonging to the Lopukhins estate, as they had placed there their own guards even before the Museum premises were emptied and the buildings placed under safeguarding. By doing so they deprived the ICR personnel access to their working places.

The Director General of the SMOA motivated his actions by saying that he is trying to execute a court decision (that has allegedly entered into force and is final) and to compel the ICR to leave the Lopukhins estate, which has been given to the SMOA in operative management. The ICR management presented documents, which prove our organization’s right to a free use of the estate buildings. Also the ICR management reminded that the court decision, which obliges us to leave the premises and the full text of which is dated 7 April 2017, is not yet final, since the ICR is going to appeal it in the Court of Appeal in accordance with the procedure established by law. The ICR and the SMOA filed reports with the local police on what had happened including motivations for their actions and a request to conduct an inspection.

Representatives of the police convinced us that until completion of the review of the filed reports and in order to ensure the safety of the possession, it would be necessary to place under seal all entrance doors to all buildings belonging to the estate, and that it would be necessary for all people to leave the territory on which would stay only four guards from both ICR and SMOA and an armed unit of the local police, which would ensure that public order is maintained.

Mr. Ivan Zasurskiy, member of the Russian Federation Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights found himself an involuntary witness of the raiding of the non-governmental museum by the State Museum of Oriental Arts, because he had not yet left the building after the Bulgarian Atanas Kurtev’s concert. The events in the ICR aiming at the seizure of the Lopukhins estate and the Roerich heritage also drew the attention of Mr. Mikhail Fedotov, Adviser to the President of the Russian Federation for Human Rights. On 29 April Mr. Fedotov together with Mr. Andrei Babushkin, member of the Russian Federation Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights, came to the ICR, but the SMOA security let them enter the estate territory only after one hour. After having listened to the representatives of the ICR, the SMOA and Mr. Kirill Rybak, the Advisor of the Minister of Culture, Mr. Fedotov left the territory of the Lopukhins estate.

Apparently that kind of turn of events was not included in the SMOA plan, and it relied again on the investigation team taking part in the inquest of the Master Bank case. Around 7 p.m. on 29 April, cars with representatives of the said investigation team, riot police (OMON) and SMOA entered the estate territory. They commenced a search, the necessity of which was motivated with untenable circumstances that do not correspond to facts. This in turn indicates that the action was planned in haste and was formal by nature. The Vice President of International centre of the Roerichs, Mr. Alexander Stetsenko, was not permitted to be present at the search. Seizure of the accounting documentation and drawings of the Roerichs was carried out in the absence of the representatives of the ICR accounting department and responsible curators of the heritage. The investigation team took away from the ICR the keys to the Museum depositary and the Museum halls and handed them over to the SMOA. In the protocol they noted that the Lopukhins estate is being placed under the custody of the Director General of SMOA, Mr. Sedov, together with all property of the ICR and the personal belongings of the ICR personnel. Neither Act of transfer, nor any specification of the transferred property was made. All these facts attest to the real goal of the “investigation” – namely to remove all obstacles, hindering the SMOA from accessing the heritage belonging to ICR. After all, these obstacles were so unexpectedly imposed by the local police and that was not included in the plans of those who organized the seizure. So, the seizure of the Lopukhins estate and the Roerich heritage which belongs to the International Centre of the Roerichs and which is located in the estate was carried out under cover of criminal investigations on the bankruptcy of the Master Bank.

In conclusion of this short chronicle of events it should be mentioned that in the night of 1 May, around 3 a.m. on the territory of the estate the representatives of the SMOA took down the Banner of Peace – the distinctive flag of the Roerich Pact, which is the first international treaty on the protection of cultural property in both peaceful times and at war. It is obvious that for the raiders, who under the cover of darkness broke in to the non-governmental Museum named after Nicholas Roerich of the ICR, the Banner became a direful reminder of their unlawful acts against the Museum, which bears the name of our great compatriot, who showed to the world the way out of the endless string of wars and armed conflicts – the way of Peace through Culture.

Thus the seizure of the Roerichs heritage by way of raid was accomplished, and let us remind that it started with the letter of the Minister of Culture, Mr. Vladimir Medinskiy to the President of the Russian Federation, Mr. Vladimir Putin in 2013 (in the letter the minister deceived the President as regards the true will of Svetoslav Roerich concerning the heritage that he donated to Russia); thus was also completed the seizure of the Lopukhins estate, which started in 2015 when the estate was transferred to the SMOA operative management. The Roerich heritage, which was transferred to Russia by Svetoslav Roerich, a citizen of India, for the purpose of creating in Moscow in the Lopukhins estate the non-governmental Museum named after Nicholas Roerich, is now illegally seized by the SMOA, which according to the will of the owner of the heritage had no right whatsoever to it. The guarantee, which the state gave to Svetoslav Roerich about the safe development of the non-governmental Museum in the Lopukhins estate, was violated. All these attest to a forced termination of the functioning of the International non-governmental organization the International Centre of the Roerichs and its non-governmental Museum, established by Svetoslav Roerich, without fair trial and without the right of defence. The further activity of the ICR to promote Nicholas Roerich’s peacemaking ideas that have won the acknowledgement of the leadership of the country and of the UN and UNESCO are under threat.

Thus the Russian Federation, represented by the Minister of Culture and with the support of the law enforcement agencies, in grave violation of Russian and international law, de facto liquidated the non-governmental Museum denying us the right to defence. In an attempt to excuse the elimination of the NGO, the management of the Ministry of Culture, of the State Museum of Oriental Arts and of the investigative body of the Russian Federation claim, that thereby they are protecting the Roerich heritage against a possible injury caused to it by the International Centre of the Roerichs. With full responsibility the ICR declares that suchlike statements are untrue and have no foundation whatsoever. We assume that they pursue but one goal – to excuse the Russian civil servants’ long-term crimes against the Roerich heritage, which was transferred to Russia by Svetoslav Roerich, as well as against the non-governmental organization created for its safekeeping and promotion on the initiative of Svetoslav Roerich, a great figure in the world culture and citizen of India.

The Roerichs gave the world the Roerich Pact, which laid the foundation of the modern legal system for the protection of the world cultural heritage and the functioning of UNESCO. The ICR appeals to the Russian and international public, to the UN, UNESCO and everyone, who is not indifferent to the destiny of the great cultural heritage of the Roerichs, to establish an international public commission in order to investigate this crime, to revive the violated guarantees of the state to Svetoslav Roerich as well as to restore the rights of the International Centre of the Roerichs to the heritage, donated to it by Svetoslav Roerich.

29.04.2017 – Press Release of the International Centre of the Roerichs. Chronicle of  Seizure

Public-Government cooperation, which the National Roerich Committee has so ardently stated, could have developed from the very beginning – from the time of the emergence of the Soviet Roerich Foundation (SRF), but it did not work out, and not through the fault of the SFR. The state machine’s flurry, its sluggishness and formal approach on the part of officials of various levels and, possibly, the interests of the “shadow” participants led to the fact that at the initial stage the state did not start the necessary measures to restore the Lopukhin’s estate (and the whole complex of buildings), and simply ignored the execution of their own promises. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the situation only worsened, and although Russia assumed the obligations of the USSR, the new bureaucracy considered it possible not to fulfill obligations towards a public organization. Chaos, which reigned in the expanses of the former Union, made it almost impossible for the planned formation of the financial base for the museum. At this difficult time, nothing has been done by the state to establish the Center, and moreover, attempts have begun to destroy the newly created public organization. Neither the influential members of the board of the SRF, nor the public that began to form around the SRF, could reach the authorities. Letters to various instances, meetings with officials of different levels – all this rested against a deaf bureaucratic wall.

Creation of the International Center of Roerich (ICR) based on the SRF was a natural necessity, because The Soviet Union, after the well-known events of August 1991, ceased to exist. Disputes that the ICR is not a legal successor to the SRF have no legal validity. This is clear to every sensible person who is familiar with the documents and the situation, but it is not clear to the officials of the Ministry of Culture. Apparently, their passionate desire to take possession of the heritage overshadowed common sense.

ICR is accused of almost criminal conduct of cases, leaving this accusation at the level of sensations that arose based on personal dislike towards some of the Center’s employees. Those who did not oversleep 90th years in Russia, could say with certainty that the country was feverish, but the ICR in those years was a rare oasis of lawful conduct of affairs, which is confirmed by numerous inspections. This fact already worried some of the power authorities at that time. They could not catch the staff and “hang” on it at least some criminal case, though apparently, someone wanted to do it. Many specialists in the field of economics came to work in the Fund.  From the very beginning they tried to create enterprises that could provide, as L. Shaposhnikova said, the “financial pillow” for the Fund. These people had the appropriate diplomas, experience in other jobs, and a sincere aspiration, but the environment in the country has changed so much that their experience has failed in life. The state at that time was engaged in privatization, and therefore the officials did not care about public organizations. Patronage, which then only revived, became a panacea for economic ills for the ICR. Recall that in those years B. Bulochnik was all respected businessman and patron of art, who saved from the “abyss of free business”, not only the ICR. Then many, now indignant, considered it an honor to shake hands with Boris Ilyich, but times change and so do preferences too. However, it was Boris Ilyich, who took on his shoulders what the state promised to do, thereby taking his honorable place in the history of the ICR along with people like Yu. Vorontsov and L. Shaposhnikova.

Today the National Committee hopes that with the arrival of state structures, namely the Ministry of Culture and the Museum of the East, there will be an idyll for the financial part! Ostensibly, the Legacy will be in the frame of legality, and the people’s possessions will last for centuries, but listening to high-profile criminal cases among officials of different ranks, including from the Ministry of Culture, it’s hard to believe! Moreover, the confidence grows stronger precisely in the reverse that pictures, archives and other national property can “float away” to private collections, where they will please the eyes of a very narrow circle of admirers of art. After the public museum was unceremoniously stormed on March 7-8, and the employees were detained for 20 hours without any reason, we realize that the people, who did it, will not stop at nothing. They can organize such “public support of the government”, which the government simply won’t be able to refuse! The vicious circle, referred to in the statement of the National Committee, thus tears up state authorities, “cleansing society” with the help of forceful methods and barbaric seizure of paintings, actual looting. Prediction of the Public Chamber that the confrontation between the ICR and state structures will lead to destructive and unpredictable consequences is beginning to come true. In fact, the confrontation is very peculiar, since the ICR simply wanted the state to observe its own constitution and fulfill its promises.

The conversation about the publicity of the investigation and careful attitude to cultural values looks like, at least, a naive dream of the public while at the inquisition trial. The central television channels already put on the fool’s caps of sectarians and occultists on the ICR employees, and cynically talked about “not properly” keeping the heritage!

Mr. Losyukov is trying to convince the not very well-informed public that, under L.V. Shaposhnikova, the relationship between the state and the ICR was almost perfect, and only after her departure the ICR deteriorated sharply. Who will read the numerous articles of Lyudmila Vasilyevna (L.V.) and the documents of those years, will understand that the battle with bureaucratic arbitrariness has been conducted since the very appearance of the SRF! But after the departure of such a great cultural figure, as was L.V. Shaposhnikova, the ICR began to experience even greater difficulties, which were created by the leadership of the Ministry of Culture and the Museum of the East. It’s good that such a creative person as L.V.Shaposhnikova, at one time agreed to put this enormous burden on herself. Her services to the Fatherland were already enough to enter the history of Russia’s culture, and she could quietly retire in creative work.

The statement of the National Committee that under the wing of the Museum of the East will begin some kind of “special” scientific work with the Roerichs’ heritage and that the true, real experts will also be admitted to the materials of the Great Russian thinkers also causes mixed feelings. Why, to this very moment, these “great Roerichs experts” did not please the public with their works? Those works that came out of the pen of such experts as Rosov, and work with the archives of D. Popov, can only convince us of the opposite! With the arrival to ICR of such personalities the level of scientific work will fall, and we will remember the works of Shaposhnikova as rare pearls on the research field. Regarding the “non-professionalism” of the staff of the ICR, rumors were spread from the very beginning, even though all employees had a sufficiently high qualification. Those rumors spoiled the picture of perception and did not suggest opponents the confidence in the ICR.

Particularly interesting is the part of the statement of Mr. Losyukov, where he writes about the return of the Lopukhins estate to those people, representatives of the Russian public, who honestly and unselfishly worked on the restoration of the estate. To begin with, I would like to see the lists of these disinterested people, and then perhaps, much will be cleared up. So far, officials are trying to expel from the buildings of the manor exactly those people, who have been unselfishly working on its restoration for a quarter of a century! It was the staff of the ICR and, of course, many other representatives of the world community, who understood that the Roerich heritage is a national treasure of Russia.

Another topic touched upon in the committee’s statement is the creation of the public Institute of the Roerichs. The idea is beautiful and we can wish this institution all the prosperity, but the institute will not be the organization that was planned and created by S.N. Roerich! The only organization he created during his life in those difficult years for Russia and whose honorary member he was until the end of his life, was the ICR. It is surprising why it is impossible to continue and develop a research of the heritage based on ICR, but instead it is necessary to break and create a something new. There is no logic in these actions, but there is obvious waste of human and other resources.

When in 1989 the chairman of our society K.A. Molchanova and I, A. Miller, met with S. N. Roerich, he told us about his plans – the creation of a public organization, which he will transfer the rights to dispose of the heritage to, and he also introduced L.V. Shaposhnikova as a person who will fulfill his will. K.A. Molchanova corresponded with the Roerich family for many years, therefore this decision of Svyatoslav Nikolaevich was not an unexpected step for our society (the Estonian Roerich Society). But apparently, it was a surprise for the Ministry of Culture.

National committee speaks about the unity of the Roerich family’s heritage and that, as if at the request of S.N. Roerich, it should be collected in a single museum. But K.A. Molchanova, and I know a different desire of S.N. Roerich. It was confirmed to us at a personal meeting with S.N. Roerich in November 1989, that paintings, which were legally located in other museums, should remain there, but the paintings, which were at that time transferred to Russia and part of the collection, which was transferred by the Ministry of Culture for temporary storage in the Museum of the East – 288 paintings of the Roerichs, should be located in the museum that was created by S. N. Roerich, which is ICR. It seems strange that the will of the owner, which was legally certified, was not executed! The Museum of the East refused to transfer the collection of 288 paintings of Svyatoslav Nikolaevich, with a justification of possible loss of the collection, while not motivating these fears. Then, in circles close to the Museum of the East, rumors began about the incapacity of S.N. Roerich, that he allegedly did not understand the situation in Russia. R.B. Rybakov entered into an open confrontation with L.V.Shaposhnikova, which subsequently further complicated the relationship between the ICR and state officials.

Today, the public dreams of a strong and humane state with which it would be possible to cooperate and which would fulfill its obligations to the people, but considering the recent events of March 7-8, 2017, when the public museum named after N.K. Roerich was looted, and thus the will of S.N. Roerich was violated, these times will not come soon.

16.03.2017 – EURASSIM’s Appeal to Director General of UNESCO, Mrs. Irina Bokova

2017/02/09 – In March 2013, viewers of Russia saw the movie “Call of cosmic evolution”, created by the International Center of the Roerichs. Film screenings were held in 17 countries, including the United Nations Headquarters in New York, European UN offices in Switzerland and Austria, as well as at the Peace Palace in The Hague. The movie was seen by the audience of the largest cities in Europe, Latin America, India and the United States. 

However, in August 2016, the Ministry of Culture suddenly withdrew from the Centre of the Roerichs the license for rolling the film. According to the Ministry, the movie is subject to a ban, as it contains pictures of Nazi swastika. In the history of domestic cinematography there was not such an incident that a fragment, dedicated to the victory of the Soviet people in World War II, was interpreted as propaganda of Nazi symbols by the Ministry of Culture. 

According to experts, this is a dangerous and a very bad precedent. In this approach, as Nazi propaganda can be considered absolutely any movie condemning Nazism and filmed in the USSR or in any other country.