On June 29 the Russkiy Mir Foundation opened in the Netherlands its 55th Russian Center. Located in Groningen University, one of the oldest educational institutions in Europe, the Russian Center became not only the first such center of the Foundation in the Netherlands but also the first Russian Center to receive the status of an academic department, which will have an academic council consisting not only of Russian specialists but also representatives of other departments. The status of an academic department brings the opportunity to defend theses, including doctoral dissertations, at the Russian Center. We spoke with Archpriest Simon of Brussels and Belgium about his experience at the opening of the center.

– You had the opportunity to participate in the opening of the Russian Center at Groningen University… What was your impression?

– I am simply delighted by how the opening of the center at Groningen went and by the people who participated in the ceremony. I hadn’t expected that people would so joyfully and sincerely react to the opening. Many priest that serve in Groningen and the surrounding areas graduated from this university. They said that they had always dreamed that such a center would be created here. And finally this has happened. The center will provide enormous support for those who are interested in Russia and studying the Russian language. So my impressions from the opening of the center are very positive.

– How important do you think this event is in the context of bilateral relations between Russia and the Netherlands?

– This event is truly important both for the relations between our countries and the relations between our cultures. I believe that the opening of the center will facilitate the development of relations between Russia and the Netherlands, as the people who took part in the opening ceremony are in one way or another connected to our countries and work together. The representatives from both the Dutch and Russian side were at the very highest level. I think that the opening of the center marks a new phase in relations between our countries. In general, we can say that the opening of Russian Centers truly is providing a driving force in the development of relations, and not only among countries but among people who live in these places where the centers are opened.