From 5 to 8 September 2005 the 14th International Colloquium of Heraldry of the International Academy of Heraldry (Academie Internationale d'Heraldique) was held in the State Hermitage. The event is the most representative forum of specialists in the field of heraldry from around the world.

The idea of creating a scholarly community uniting the most important heraldry experts in the world was put forth by that authoritative connoisseur of heraldry and genealogy, the Belgian aristocrat Count Gaston Stahlen (1879-1952). He was the one who developed the ideology of the future AIH. He formulated the motto of the organization "ARS et SCIENTIA" ("Art and Science") and became its first president. The Academy was founded in 1949. Its charter proclaimed the objectives of the AIH to be the creation of a field the collaboration of scholars from various countries and to deepen mutual understanding among representatives of the national schools of heraldry.

France is the center of the movement and from the moment of its founding, Paris has been the headquarters of the organization. French is the official language of communication in the Academy. The present president of the AIH is Professor of Duisburg University Dr. Rolf Nagel. Today the Academy has more than 100 full members including the state masters of heraldry of the majority of countries partaking of the European heraldry culture and scholars from 30 countries around the globe: Germany, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Spain, the USA, Great Britain, Italy, France, Mexico, the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Greece, Chile, the countries of Scandinavia and Benelux and other states of the Old and New World. Under the aegis of the International Academy of Heraldry special literature is published, archival research is carried out, and an honorary prize has been established for outstanding achievements in the field of heraldry. Once every two years an international colloquium is organized around specific themes. The present 14th Petersburg Colloquium being held within the State Hermitage is devoted to the topic of Heraldry and Women.

The fact that this international forum of specialists in heraldry is being held in Russia is a unique tribute and sign of respect on behalf of the international scholarly community for the success of the reborn heraldry scholarship in our country. Until recently the Russian heraldry tradition was represented in the AIH only by "first wave" emigrants, the most famous of whom was Alexander Vasilievich Soloviev (1890-1971), who devoted his efforts to the history of the two-headed eagle, as well as to the descendants of those first emigrants. One of the those descendants, Michel Popov, is now the Secretary of the Academy. Russian researchers have been participating in the events of the AIH ever since 1993. Beginning in 1998 Russia has been represented in the Academy on an official level: the Chairman of the Heraldry Council under the President of the Russian Federation Georgy Vadimovich Vilinbakhov in that year became a full member of the Academy.

At the opening of the Heraldry Colloquium in the Hermitage Theatre

Mikhail B. Piotrovsky, Director of the State Hermitage Museum

Georgy V. Vilinbakhov, Chairman of the Russian Presidential Heraldic Council, State Heroldmeister, Deputy Director Research of the State Hermitage Museum

Professor Rolf Nagel, President of the International Academy of Heraldry