“Dialogue with Nature” Photo Exhibition in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
Visitors at the ”Dialogue with Nature” exhibition in Nizhny Norogrod view the photographs and read the accompanying poems
On June 16, 2021, “Dialogue with Nature,” an exhibition of
photographs taken by Daisaku Ikeda, opened at the Nizhny Novgorod State
Regional Universal Scientific Library in Russia, commemorating the 800th
anniversary of the city’s founding and the 160th anniversary of the library’s
establishment.
Nizhny Novgorod, the birthplace of Russian writer Maxim
Gorky (1868–1936), is located at the confluence of the longest river in Europe,
the Volga, and the Oka, a large tributary, approximately 400 kilometers east of
the capital, Moscow. The city prospered in ancient times as a trade center of
the Russian Empire and is also known as the place where the Russian poet,
Alexander Pushkin frequented to immerse himself in his work.
Director Olga Guseva (center) gives celebratory remarks at the online opening ceremony
The opening ceremony of the exhibition was held online and
featured on a local TV program. Olga Guseva, director of the Department of
International Relations of the Government of the Nizhny Novgorod Region,
expressed her delight at being able to host the exhibition and praised Mr.
Ikeda’s works calling the exhibition a gift that will further deepen the
friendship between Russia and Japan. In a message read by proxy, Mr. Ikeda
quoted words by Gorky, whose works he enjoyed in his youth, and shared his
hopes for the exhibition to inspire people to engage in dialogues about
life.
Maria Kostrova, head of the Japanese Cultural Centre at the
Linguistics University of Nizhny Novgorod, shared her hopes that visitors will
enjoy viewing Mr. Ikeda’s works and be inspired by them.
Exhibition venue Nizhny Novgorod State Regional Universal Scientific Library Celebrates 160 years
[Adapted from an article in the June 28, 2021, issue of the Seikyo Shimbun, Soka Gakkai, Japan; photos courtesy of Nizhny Novgorod State Regional Universal Scientific Library.]
