The 3rd Congress of Peter’s Cities Relics of Peter the Great in Collections of Russia and Europe

8 June, 2011 Hermitage Theater held the opening of the 3rd Congress of Peter’s Cities, organized by the Government of St Petersburg, the State Hermitage, Institute of Peter the Great in association with the Likhachev Foundation, Boris Yeltsin Presidential Library, the State Museum of St Petersburg History.

Valentina Matvienko Governor of St Petersburg made her greeting speech at the Congress opening in the Hermitage.

Congress sessions take place on 8 - 10 June in the State Hermitage, Boris Yeltsin Presidential Library, and the State Museum of St Petersburg History. The program includes plenary and breakout sessions, round table discussions, presentations of projects and publications among which book Birth of St Petersburg and program Coat of Arms of Peter’s Cities.

On 9 June delegates of the Congress participate in the ceremony, dedicated to the Birthday of Peter the Great in Senate Square at the Bronze Horseman. On the same day the concert in honor of the St Petersburg Founder will take place in Grand Courtyard of the Winter Palace.

Daniil Granin, writer	Alla Manilova, Vice Governor of St Petersburg
Vladimir Matveev, the State Hermitage	Georgy Vilinbakhov , the State Hermitage

Mikhail Piotrovsky, Director of the State Hermitage

Valentina Matvienko's speech

Alexander Kobak, Director of Likhachev Foundation

Svetlana Dolgova, Russian State Archive of Ancient Acts