On the eve of the 320th anniversary of Saint Petersburg, in the Museum of Political History of Russia held a grand opening of the exhibition “Our city thanks you”. It is dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the resumption of the tradition of awarding the title “The Honorary Citizen of Saint Petersburg”.
The exhibition focuses on outstanding political, public and cultural figures who made a special contribution to the life of the city and country. The main characters of the exhibition are Honorary Citizens, materials about the life and activities of which are stored in the museum collection: D. S. Likhachev (1993), O. F. Berggoltz (1994), K. Y. Lavrov (1995), I. A. Brodsky (1995), A. P. Petrov (1998), J. I. Alfyorov (2001), A. B. Freindlikh (2001), D. A. Granin (2005), V. V. Putin (2006), A. A. Sobchak (2010), O. V. Basilashvili (2012), V. I. Matvienko (2017).
Particular attention was drawn to the Honorary Citizens: the Honored Figure Skating Coach of the Russian Federation Tamara Nikolaevna Moskvina and the Head of Saint Petersburg Metro (1990-2020) Vladimir Alexandrovich Garyugin. They told about their life and work in Leningrad-Saint- Petersburg and shared their love for the great city in a very warm and touching way. The Chairman of the Committee on Culture Fyodor Dmitrievich Boltin, deputy of the Legislative Assembly of Saint-Petersburg Alexander Nikolayevich Rzhanenkov, the daughter of Honorary Citizen of Saint Petersburg Andrey Pavlovich Petrov Olga Andreevna and Vice-President of the “Saint-Petersburg Heritage and Perspective” fund Vyacheslav Anatolyevich Skulyabin expressed their congratulations and words of gratitude to the honorable citizens.
Irina Nikolaevna Shimbarevich, Deputy Artistic Director of the Tovstonogov Bolshoi Drama Theater (BDT), gifted to the museum the unique exhibits related to the creative activities of the BDT actors who were awarded the title “Honorary Citizen of Saint-Petersburg”.
At the exhibition, visitors will be able to watch a video “Honorary Citizens” with chronicle footage from the lives of honorary citizens of Saint Petersburg, as well as fragments of their interviews.
From 1993 to 2023, the title “Honorary Citizen of Saint-Petersburg” was given to 51 people. The title is given for life by the Legislative Assembly of Saint-Petersburg. The awardee receives a badge of honor, a chest plate, a diploma and a certificate.
The exhibition will run until September 20.