Translated material
The collection of signatures has begun against the transfer of the building of the Nizhny Novgorod Conservatory to the Russian Orthodox Church
On October 25, 2012, the Democrat website began collecting signatures in defense of the Nizhny Novgorod Conservatory, the building of which is claimed by the Russian Orthodox Church. The authors of the appeal ask Governor Valery Shantsev and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev not to transfer the building of the conservatory.
They justify their request by the fact that the conservatory has long been engaged in educational activities and is the center of culture in the region.
“In addition, the transfer of the building to a religious organization of a certain denomination will limit access to cultural values for the majority of city residents, such as the large organ installed in the building in the 60s of the last century. Currently, anyone can join organ music, not only religious, but also secular, due to cultural traditions. If the building is transferred to the Diocese, the city will lose such an important phenomenon of its spiritual life as open organ concerts,” the appeal says.
The authors remind that “the Russian Federation is a secular state (Article 14 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation). This means that decisions on the alienation of real estate, which is of great importance to society, must be made taking into account its opinion.”
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