Señor Ruben, you speak incredible Russian. Where does this passion for our language come from? It seems to be more convenient to learn English in Colombia.
Ruben Dario Flores Arcila: I fell in love with Russian literature thanks to Lev Nikolaevich. I still remember a thick leather-bound book with gold lettering – “War and Peace” in Spanish from my father’s library. I read it when I was 16 and was blown away. Then he promised me to learn Russian to read Tolstoy in the original.
Did you study in Russia?
Ruben Dario Flores Arcila: Yes, I got a state-funded place at the Peoples’ Friendship University. Patrice Lumumba. Russian higher education has always been considered one of the best. I chose Russian philology. Upon his return, he taught world and Russian literature at a local university, and then in the late 1980s he came to our institute, which, by the way, was then called the Institute of Friendship with the USSR.
I want to re-establish links with Russian universities in order to send teachers on internship
Already in 1945, the first Russian-language textbook for Colombians was published. And you know, no matter what happens in the country and in the world, the institute has never closed a single day. The Institute published books, manuals, published its own journal. He sent talented children to study in the USSR. As far as I know, more than 5,000 Colombians have taken advantage of this opportunity. Russian language teachers, sent by the Peoples’ Friendship University, came here. They brought manuals, huge reels of audio recordings. But the main gift is the ability to communicate live with Soviet classics. Poets, writers, composers have come to us. There are still legends about the arrival of Aram Khachaturian.
How did the Institute of Friendship with the USSR become the Leo Tolstoy Institute of Culture?
Rubén Dario Flores Arcila: It was in 1991. I remember that day: many said that since this powerful military power with its dogmas no longer exists, it makes no sense to continue. What ideas to promote? How to talk to Colombians about the culture of a country that no longer exists? Fortunately, the institute was saved. At first it was difficult. We found ourselves with no support at all, all ties were cut. But Soviet books and textbooks were preserved, and they worked on them. Today, our main income is Russian language lessons, there are piano and voice lessons.
We organize concerts, celebrate Russian holidays, organize exhibitions and fairs, sell Russian souvenirs. We even have our own chapel. But everything we earn goes towards salaries, utilities and property taxes. We are a non-profit cultural organization and in theory we should have benefits, but our building is cultural heritage and we have to pay for it as a commercial organization. This year, the only tax was 12 million pesos (about $2,700). If it is relieved next year, I am not sure that we will be able to save the building and the institute.
Who and why in Colombia today teaches Russian?
Ruben Dario Flores Arcila: Mainly businessmen who want to do business with Russia, young people who dream of studying in Russia, and people simply passionate about Russian culture. We greatly appreciate our friendly relations with the Russian Embassy in Colombia.
What are you missing now?
Ruben Dario Flores Arcila: modern Russian language textbooks for foreigners, books on Russian history and culture in Russian and Spanish, classical and modern literature. It would be great to restore the partnership with Russian universities so that they can send us their teachers, and that we can send our teachers to Russia for internships. There is a real lack of high quality video content about modern Russia, its culture, history, politics in Spanish, or at least with subtitles. We don’t hear the voice of your media at all. And I am convinced that we must show and tell Colombians what your country is and how it is today.
Direct speech
Nikolai Tavdumadze, Russian Ambassador to Colombia:
- Institute of Culture. Leo Tolstoy in Bogota is a unique phenomenon. It has become a point of attraction both for Russian compatriots of all ages and for Colombians who sympathize with our state and are interested in national culture, literature, music and cinema. We constantly organize joint cultural events there. For example, the film “Rzhev” directed by Igor Kopylov was recently shown.
