Putin-ErdoÄŸan talks, they also talked about culture (and the course on Dostoevsky)

A telephone conversation was held this morning between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip ErdoÄŸan. In addition to points concerning politics and the conflict in Ukraine (Putin let it be known that Russia will stop its action if Kiev stops fighting and meets Moscow’s demands), the two leaders also talked about culture. In particular, it is reported that “ErdoÄŸan critically assessed the actions of the West in relation to the figures of Russian culture.” This was reported in a note by the Russian state news agency TASS.

“It was learned that in numerous Western countries, in light of the situation in Ukraine,” the note released by the agency reads, “a decision was made to discontinue cooperation with Russian cultural figures in the framework of numerous projects. The restrictions included opera singer Anna Netrebko, conductor Valery Gergiev, pianist Denis Mačuev and others. It was also reported of the suspension of negotiations on the organization of tours of artists from the Bolshoi Theater in London.”

“In addition, the decision of the University of Milan-Bicocca to cancel lectures by writer, Slavic and translator Paolo Nori on the work of Fyodor Dostoevsky,” the TASS note continues, “has caused a great stir in public opinion. After the writer himself reported it with indignation, the management of the educational institution reinstated the scheduled lectures.”

The Milanese university’s decision had been stigmatized by so many, and many in Italy, too, condemned Russophobic attitudes that could arise in our country as well, not least because they are counterproductive (“Russia is not Putin,” said PD Secretary Enrico Letta, “making us say ’Russians are bad’ is what he wants but his clan should be distinguished from the Russian people.”). However, TASS does not fully report what happened following Nori’s rejection, since Bicocca had expressed the idea of “restructuring the course and broadening the message to open the minds of students. By adding some Ukrainian authors to Dostoevsky,” according to the university’s pro-rector of education, Maurizio Casiraghi, in the words reported by Nori on his website. Paolo Nori then refused to teach the course at Bicocca (“I do not share this idea that if you talk about a Russian author you must also talk about a Ukrainian author, but everyone has their own ideas. If they think that way, they are right. I unfortunately do not know any Ukrainian authors, so I release them from their commitment and the course I was supposed to take at Bicocca I will take elsewhere,” he had written back on March 2).

Pictured: the Milanese university. Photo Milano-Bicocca University

Putin-ErdoÄŸan talks, they also talked about culture (and the course on Dostoevsky)

Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.