Russian Cultural Center in Lviv is an organization of Russian culture in Lviv

Lviv

Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...

, the only organization in this topic in West-Ukraine

Ukraine

Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...

. Situated on No. 1-a Korolenko Street, near the city center of Lviv

Lviv

Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...

, in western Ukraine

Ukraine

Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...

. The center was the first of its kind to be open in the USSR and it was the only one for a long time in the territory of Ukraine.

History

The Russian Cultural Center was founded by the Pushkin Society in Lviv. The city council provided a neglected building which was previously a former cinema located near the territory of St. George church (the Russian Orthodox church) in October of 1990. Initially the "small auditorium" was renovated in April, 1994 followed by the "large auditorium" in April 1996. It is from this date that the organization became active.
Money for the materials was donated by private donors, such as Alexander Svistunov.
The latter date is regarded to be founding date for the functioning of the center. It is operated by members of the Pushkin Society. Previously, concerts took place at the Regional Officer's House, The Zinkovska Theatre, the Railway Workers Cultural Centre and School No. 35.

Since January 1997 there has been an active library in the "Small Auditorium", which after 10 years has over 8,000 publications.

The first director of the centre was Sergey Sokurov, the founder of the Pushkin Society.

Activity

The organization focuses its attention on topics such as the discrimination of Russian Culture

Russian culture

Russian culture is associated with the country of Russia and, sometimes, specifically with ethnic Russians. It has a rich history and can boast a long tradition of excellence in every aspect of the arts, especially when it comes to literature and philosophy, classical music and ballet, architecture...

, political pressure, the depletion of the Russian

Russians

The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....

 population in Lviv

Lviv

Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...

 etc. The organization works with other ethnic minority organizations in Lviv

Lviv

Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...

, and with many Left

Left-wing politics

In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...

 parties in Ukraine

Ukraine

Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...

, and also with the Party of Regions

Party of Regions

The Party of Regions is an Ukrainian political party created on October 26, 1997 just prior to the 1998 Ukrainian parliamentary elections under the name of Party of Regional Revival of Ukraine. It was reformed later in 2001 when the party united with several others...

.
The organization holds numerous culture activities. It has a theatre, dancing class, a ing-songwriter club, a painters club, an Intellectual Games club, Children Studios, and other community clubs.

The organization also looks after the graves of those who fought for Russia

Russia

Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

 during the First World War and those who fought for the USSR during the Second World War

Eastern Front (World War II)

The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...

.

Attacks on the RCC

The RCC has been attacked and vandalized on several occasions. On January 22, 1992 it was raided by UNA-UNSO

UNA-UNSO

The UNA-UNSO , is the most prominent nationalist political organization in Ukraine.-History:...

 led by the member of Lviv Oblast

Lviv Oblast

Lviv Oblast is an oblast in western Ukraine. The administrative center of the oblast is the city of Lviv.-History:The oblast was created as part of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic on December 4, 1939...

 Council. UNA-UNSO members searched the building, partially destroyed archives and pushed people out from the building. The leader of attackers declared that everything in Ukraine belonged to the Ukrainians

The Ukrainians

The Ukrainians are a British band, which plays traditional Ukrainian music, heavily influenced by western post-punk.-Career:The Ukrainians were formed in 1990 by Wedding Present guitarist Peter Solowka, with singer/violinist Len Liggins and mandolin player Roman Remeynes, after all three had played...

, so the Moskal

Moskal

Moskal is a historical term and present day ethnic slur referring to Russians. It is primarily used as a slur in Ukraine, and Belarus.-Ethnic slur:Moskal can be a type of ethnic slur with a mild negative connotation....

s and the kikes were not allowed to reside or have property there.. The building was vandalized during the Papal

Pope

The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...

 Visit to Lviv in 2001, then in 2003 (5 times), 2004 (during Orange revolution

Orange Revolution

The Orange Revolution was a series of protests and political events that took place in Ukraine from late November 2004 to January 2005, in the immediate aftermath of the run-off vote of the 2004 Ukrainian presidential election which was claimed to be marred by massive corruption, voter...

), 2005, 2006

Sources

• Провозин В. В. Наш Русский Дом, очерки. — Львов, Ахилл, 2003. — 308 с ISBN 966-7617-65-3
• Провозин В. В. Путь к Русскому Дому. Очерки истории Русского общества им. А.Пушкина (1994—1999 г.г.) Львов: Издательский дом «Цивилизация», 2000. — 140 с.
• Провозин В. Русский Дом, очерки. — Львов: Ахилл, 2002. — 136 с.
• Провозин В. Русские во Львове: от конфронтации к диалогу // Русские Украины: прошлое, настоящее, будущее. Материалы международной научно-практической конференции (27 — 28 февраля 1998). Часть 1. — Киев, 1998. — с. 188—191.
• Свистунов А. Г. Во весь рост. — Львов, Издательский дом «Цивилизация», 1999. — 104 с ISBN 966-95560-5-8
• Сокуров С. А. Очерки истории русского национально-культурного движения в Галиции (1988—1993 годы) — М.: "Клуб «Реалисты», 1999. — 68 с.