"Let us also affirm the Universal Day of Culture, when simultaneously in all churches, all schools and all educational institutions, the world will be reminded of the true treasures of humanity". Nicholas Roerich

The World Day of Culture is held on April 15. This year its celebration is closely connected with the topic of Russian folk art and intangible cultural heritage which the year 2022 in Russian Federation is devoted to.

The World Day of Culture has an interesting history. The idea of establishing particular rules aimed at preserving and protecting the world cultural heritage belongs to Nicholas Roerich, a philosopher and artist. Being an active traveller and archaeologist he really loved studying history and culture of different peoples. Nicholas Roerich devoted his studies to the topic of relics and in the course of 15 years accumulated enough information to prepare a project of his Pact with which he appealed to government leaders around the world in 1929. He was supported by many of his contemporaries, notable artists and scientists, including Albert Einstein, Bernard Shaw, Herbert Wells, Thomas Mann and others.

On April 15, 1935 “The Treaty on the Protection of Artistic and Scientific Institutions and Historic Monuments " was signed by representatives of 21 states at the White House, Washington. It was later called Roerich Pact in honor of its author. The ideas of the Pact are applicable to all types of cultural heritage and do not allow any exceptions even at the times of armed conflicts. The ubiquity of the Pact lies in fundamental principles of protecting cultural property and in implementing them by means of signing local agreements as well.

Nowadays the celebration of the day has its own tradition. On this day educational events, conferences and exhibitions have become a must. Going to a theatre, a museum or library, seeing an exhibition on this day are considered to be good manners. This way not only do we preserve and protect cultural heritage but multiply it in order to pass it forward to the future generations.

You can find out more on how cultural traditions of different peoples of the world evolved by addressing the university library collection. Let the interest in art and culture lead you to discovering new horizons.

The public page Ural Federal University Library on VKontakte posted a compilation of items devoted to the Universal Day of Culture under the Banner of Peace.

We congratulate everybody on the World Day of Culture!