Penza, 14 September 2013. PenzaNews. The chairman of the State Duma of Russia Sergei Naryshkin held the first meeting of the regional branch of the Russian Historical Society on the day of the 350th anniversary of Penza, Saturday, September 14.

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The event was attended by the he representative of Russian president in the Volga Federal District Mikhail Babich, the governor of the Penza region Vasily Bochkarev, the members of the Council and the Board of the Society, and the representatives of regional authorities, as well as the scientists.

Opening the meeting, Sergei Naryshkin congratulated those present on the anniversary of Penza and noted that “in the history of the city, as in a mirror, many of the stages of the development of the Russian state are reflected.”

“People’s volunteer corps was formed here during the war of 1812. In addition, the residents of the Penza region took part in the battles of World War I and II, during the peaceful times, the people have built their region, and among those people there are many prominent personalities. People are the main treasure of Penza land,” the chairman of the State Duma said.

Speaking about the importance of formation of Penza branch of the Russian Historical Society, Sergei Naryshkin said that the regional branch became the third in a row.

“However, we are not looking for numbers, the most important thing is initiative coming from the regions, and the Penza State University took such initiative,” the speaker of the State Duma pointed out.

Addressing the members of society, Sergei Naryshkin noted the most significant, in his view, historical anniversaries of the coming year and asked the scientists to focus on preparing for the 100th anniversary of the beginning of World War II, the 200th anniversary of Mikhail Lermontov, and also he highlighted the future 150 anniversary of the zemskaya reform [country reforma].

“This reform was important, not only by giving impetus to the development of Russian regions, but also zemstvo [country council] was a good school for the establishment of representative government,” Sergei Naryshkin said.

The speaker of the State Duma raised the issue of preserving the historical memory in the Penza region and shared his good impression of visiting of the house-museum of V. Klyuchevsky in Penza.

“I see that the memory of this person is carefully preserved. Vasily Klyuchevskyi was one of the most prominent members of the Imperial Russian Historical Society, and he said that “when studying our ancestors, we learn more about ourselves,” which is now the motto of the Russian Historical Society,” Sergei Naryshkin added.

“Thanks to the efforts of the governor of the Penza region Vasily Bochkarev and support of Penza community in Moscow, restoration work on the tomb of Vasily Klyuchevsky will soon be completed,” the speaker said.

He also noted the uniqueness of the archives in the Penza region and expressed the idea of making them available to the young people in the first place.

The thought of the State Duma speaker was continued by the head of Pedagogical Institute named after V. Belinsky of Penza State University Viktor Kondrashin, stressing that the goal of the Russian Historical Society is to promote historical knowledge among young people.

“It is important to direct young people to some historical topics which will work for the good. In my view, the national idea of Russia is relying on tradition, on all the good things which work for normal people and the education of the younger generation,” Viktor Kondrashin said.

Sergei Naryshkin brought a gift for the 350th anniversary of Penza — several historical documents. One of them is the decree on establishing of the Penza region, published in 1939, was handed over by the member of the Board of the Russian Historical Society, the director of the Russian State Archive, professor of the Moscow State University Sergei Mironenko to the governor of the Penza region Vasily Bochkarev.