Scholars, politicians and the clergy discussed the role of the 1612 militia in Nizhny Novgorod.

      October 3, 2025, 17:38

      Society. In Nizhny Novgorod, an International Scientific and Practical Conference (16+) has begun, devoted to rethinking the historical events related to the Day of National Unity and the 1612 People’s Militia. The event brought together more than 100 leading historians, political scientists, and sociologists from across Russia and five foreign countries.

      "The events of 1612 are an inexhaustible source of knowledge about the deep meanings of our historical self-identification and require serious reflection from the standpoint of modern historical knowledge. I am confident that the conference will become a platform for interested and serious scientific dialogue, of interest both to specialists and to a wide range of those interested in history," noted Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation and Chairman of the Russian Military-Historical Society Vladimir Medinsky in his greeting to the conference participants.

      The venue for the scientific dialogue was the Nizhny Novgorod Institute of Management of the Presidential Academy, which served as one of the key organizers of the conference.

      Director of the Nizhny Novgorod Institute of Management of the Presidential Academy Ekaterina Lebedeva emphasized that this year the Day of National Unity will be celebrated for the twentieth time. According to her, this milestone allows for a new understanding of the holiday's significance, its values, and its historical context.

      The organizers of the conference also included the Corporate University of the Government of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, the Autonomous Nonprofit Organization "Nizhegorodskoye Zemlyachestvo," the N.N. Miklouho‑Maclay Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and the regional branch of the Russian Military-Historical Society.

      The conference discusses new sources on the history of the Time of Troubles, the role of the Russian Orthodox Church in the formation of the militia, the significance of women's contributions to the events of the 17th century, as well as issues of patriotic education, preserving historical memory and identity in the digital age.

      In his speech, Metropolitan Georgy noted that Russia’s history is largely inseparable from the history of Orthodoxy. According to him, religious consciousness was the decisive factor in uniting the people, and November 4 should be regarded as the Day of Victory of 1612.

      Participants paid particular attention to discussing how to cultivate in young people a sense of connection to their ancestors' heroism through personal stories, art, film, and family traditions.

      Upon completion of the conference, a collection of papers will be published, on the basis of which methodological recommendations for authorities are planned to be developed regarding the substantive content of the celebration of the Day of National Unity.

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