Interview

Interview with A. A. Nazarov

 

Nazarov Aleksander Aleksandrovich -

Chairman

of the Regional public organization
«The Armenians of St. Petersburg»
Chief editor of a
newspaper and electronic publication

«The Herald of Armenians in Petersburg»

(Vestnik Armyan Peterburga)
 

 

Aleksander Aleksandrovich, good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

 

On behalf of edition thank You
for the allotted time for the interview!

Thank you.

You are one of the most active figures of
Armenian world in St. Petersburg,
Tell us a little about Your roots.

I was born in Leningrad in an Armenian family.

My ancestors on my father's side are from Shushi.
My grandfather arrived in Petrograd in the early 1920s
to study at the University, became an engineer,

was at the head of the laboratory
on the Leningrad instrument making plant «Vibrator».

 

My mother’s family is from Leninakan (now Gyumri).
My grandfather was a priest

of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
In the late 1930s, after his death
the family moved to Leningrad, where already

lived my mother's older sister at the time.

My father Aleksander Sergeevich Nazarov

(alias – Alexandrov) was a journalist and worked

in the magazine «Musical life», TASS,
was zonal representative in Leningrad,
Leningrad region and the Baltic republics:
- journal of the Institute of USA and Canada

Academy of Sciences of USSR
«USA: Economics, Politics, Ideology»;
- The Armenian SSR state Committee

of Television and Radio.

He took an active, effective participation
in the revival of religious and social life of the Armenians
of Leningrad – St. Petersburg.

About the history of the Armenian community in St. Petersburg.

Armenians live in St. Petersburg since the early 1700s.
In the 18th century were built two churches

of St. Catherine and St. Sunday.
Historiography shows that: Armenian secular social organizations
in St. Petersburg began to appear only in the early20th century.

The recent history.

Currently in our city there are two churches, that
we have revived.
Also, there are several secular social organizations,
one of which is our Regional public organization
«The Armenians of St. Petersburg».

 

What has inspired you to establish the organization?

Many Armenians are living on the territory of our city,
but it is just a statistic.
There was nothing that united the people at that time.
The objective of our organization is to unite Armenians

of St. Petersburg, regardless of their religion,
the lack of faith, or social status.
Regional public organization «The Armenians of St. Petersburg»
was formed by the decision of the founding conference of
the Armenians of the city of St. Petersburg.
Organizational goals are the preservation and development

of identity, national language, national traditions and culture

of Armenians.
The organization is working in different directions.
We organize exhibitions, concerts, cultural and educational

evenings.
We are doing social work, protect the rights of compatriots.
We fight for the preservation of cultural heritage.

In the coming 2015 year
will be 100’th anniversary of the Armenian genocide

in the Ottoman Empire,
what does Your organization do in this direction?

Regional public organization

«The Armenians of St. Petersburg» created Committee

«Genocide-100. Petersburg».
The main focus of work of the Committee

"Genocide-100. Petersburg" is the holding of events dedicated

to the memory of victims of the Armenian genocide

in the Ottoman Empire, as well as information support

and support events held around the world.

December 1, 2014 Regional public organization
«The Armenians of St. Petersburg» transferred

to the State Duma of the Russian Federation
the official address of amending of articles providing for criminal,
administrative liability for public denial
of the Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Empire in 1915-1922

to the penal code of the Russian Federation, to the
Criminal procedure code of the Russian Federation,
the Code of administrative offences of the Russian Federation.

In this year comes the 70th anniversary of the Victory

of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War.
What's planned for this important date?

On the pages of Newspaper and electronic publication
«The Herald of Armenians in Petersburg»
we will cover the events dedicated to the Great Victory.
On the alley of Twice Heroes of the Moscow Victory Park

(in Saint-Petersburg) will be a bust of the defender of Leningrad
twice Hero of the Soviet Union the pilot of attack aircraft
Nelson Georgievich Stepanian.
And of course, we will participate in citywide events.

In may 2014, the organization that You represent
took the initiative of creating
The coordinating Council of Armenian organizations

of St. Petersburg.
What is the idea, in what do you see the need

for such a Council?

We believe, that
for national use and more effective development of
the public life of St. Petersburg and Leningrad region
it’s needed to create a Coordination Council of Armenian organizations

in the region.
To this end, we sent formal invitations to all of the Armenian public

organizations – to become members of the Coordination Council.
The work in this direction continues.
Undoubtedly, coordinating the efforts, we could achieve more.
We are opened to cooperation with all interested structures.

What does Saint-Petersburg mean to You?

For me, the St. Petersburg - means a lot...
I think that the people is the greatest treasure of the city

on the Neva In the last century was such a term – Leningrader...
Leningrad survived during the great Patriotic war

thanks to the resilience and courage of the residents of the city
Several of my older relatives
participated in the defense of the besieged city.
The city was revived after the war thanks to the work and talent

of the people.
The city for me is not just a series of streets, avenues
with beautiful buildings, that are admired by many people.
my Petersburg is something alive exalted,
I have something related with almost every place in it.

We will do our best to make our beloved city flourished and developed!

Mr. Nazarov, thank You for the interesting conversation.
 
 

February 7, 2015                                        Konstantin Hurshudyan 

English translation by Aleksandr Ignatiev