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Founder and Director
The School’s Founder and Director, Dr. Elena Nemirovskaya, is a powerhouse of energy with often fiercely held values. She not only created the School, but flowing through all its work is the driving force of her exceptional personality. Dr Nemirovskaya took a degree in architecture and art and is a former art historian. Her father was sent to a labour camp. In the late 1980s her kitchen became a “salon” for intellectuals concerned about the future development of Russia. Living near the White House in Moscow she helped to feed the human shield outside the building during the coup against Mikhail Gorbachev in August of 1991. Thereafter she determined to devote herself to imbuing potential public figures with the values of democracy, human rights and public spiritedness. The Council of Europe provided her with its first grant in Russia and the “School” began with a first group of 25 participants. Today its seminars take place right across Russia with over 600 attending annually. The invaluable work of the School has been recognised by many governments in the West. In 2003 the British government awarded the OBE to the School’s Founder and Director, Dr Elena Nemirovskaya, who has also been awarded the Medal of Merit by the Council of Europe. In a letter of congratulations on the 10th Anniversary of the School President Putin wrote: “All who participate in the School’s programmes acquire not only knowldege, but new and reliable friends as well. Today the School is a centre for mutual enlightenment, for strengthening the values of democracy and public service, for nourishing respect for the law, and for developing new ideas”.
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