International Conferences

The University annually holds about 20 large-scale scientific conferences. The most notable is the International scientific conference in honour to Academician D. Likhachev, organized under the auspices of the President of Russia V.V. Putin “On Perpetuating the Memory of D.S. Likhachov”. The annual International Scientific Conference covering the humanitarian problems of modern times has been held in St. Petersburg University of the Humanities and Social Sciences since 1993. One of the initiators of holding the conference was Dmitry Sergeyevich Likhachov, an outstanding Russian scientist and a public figure, an internationally acclaimed humanist, an expert in the field of study of culture and records of the Old Russian literature, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and a foreign member of academies of many countries of the world, doctor honoris causa of St. Petersburg University of the Humanities and Social Sciences.

Since 2001, in recognition of Dmitry Likhachov's outstanding contribution to science and culture and as an acknowledgement of the scientific significance of the Conference, the state status of Likhachov International Scientific Conference has been granted to this scholarly forum by a special decree of Vladimir Putin, then President of the Russian Federation.

Along with the University, the cofounders of the Conference are the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Russian Academy of Education and St. Petersburg Intelligentsia Congress. Since 2007 the Conference has been held under the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia.

The agenda of the Conference traditionally includes the most universal debatable contemporary is­sues related to the controversial tendencies in the development of the human society, to the processes of globalization, to the role of the humanitarian culture and education in the modern world, to the vi­tal problems of inter-confessional communication, tolerance, morality, etc.

At present, within the framework of Likhachov International Scientific Conference, contests of cre­ative projects are held for senior high-school students entitled 'Dmitry Likhachov's Ideas and the Modernity'.

The topic of the 10th Likhachov International Scientific Conference is Dialogue of Cultures and Partnership of Civilizations: The Making of Global Culture.

Prominent Russian and foreign scientists participate annually in the Conference, among them are po­litical and public figures, church hierarchy, philosophers, sociologists, lawyers, economists, peda­gogues, renowned figures of culture and arts, writers, journalists.

To summarize the results of each Likhachov International Scientific Conference the Proceedings of the Conference are published which include collections of the participants' re-ports and speeches, transcripts of workshop discussions and round tables. The Proceedings of conferences are stored in major libraries of Russia and countries of the CIS, in scientific and educational centres of many states of the world. Working materials of the Conference can be found on the 'Likhachov Square' special scientific site (www.lihachev.ru).

In 2001, 2004, 2006, and 2008 the organizing committee and the participants of the Conference were greeted by Vladimir Putin, and in 2009 by Dmitry Medvedev.

In Autumn 2014 the international scientific and practical Conference “Labour Conflicts in Russian Federation: identifying, resolving, preventing” was held at the University. It was initiated by the Federation of Independent Trade Unions. This unique event opened new research potential in the scientific development of the University.