The Russian Academy Of Arts

On June 27, 2011 there was an unveiling ceremony for a memorial plaque commemorating the eminent Soviet diplomat Anatoly Dobrynin (1919-2010) installed on the façade of the house in 18 Spiridonovka street. The memorial plaque has been designed by the President of the Russian Academy of Arts Zurab Tsereteli. The ceremony was attended by the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, U.S. Ambassador to the Russian Federation John Beyrle, President of the Russian Academy of Arts Zurab Tsereteli.

In his speech at the unveiling ceremony the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said about Anatoly Dobrynin as a “legend of the diplomacy”: “Anatoly Fyodorovich has always been in the foreign policy front lines. He witnessed crucial events of the 20th century. His work has had a great influence on the policy of this country. The role of Anatoly Dobrynin in the promotion of relations between Moscow and Washington is inestimable”.

The U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Beyrle reminded of the words by the former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger “if a detente ever happens, it will be mostly due to Anatoly Dobrynin’ contribution”. “After the end of the Cold War Henry Kissinger’s words were proved” – said the U.S. Ambassador and noted, that his college had managed to prevent the two powers from the beginning of a nuclear war.

Anatoly Dobrynin was a Soviet Ambassador to the United States from 1962 to 1986 and most notably during the Cuban Missile Crises, participated in the negotiations on the reduction of nuclear missiles. Dobrynin served as Soviet Ambassador to the United States during the terms of six U.S. Presidents. The Cold War rivalry made his position as one of the key elements in the Soviet-US global geopolitical dialogue. Anatoly Dobrynin was honored with many state awards, was the only ambassador to be awarded the Gold Star of the Hero of the Socialist Labor. In 1992 he was given the honorary rank of the Russian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.

Zurab Tsereteli has known Anatoly Dobrynin in person. Between the artist, who in those years started to install his sculptural compositions in the United States, and the diplomat there were good business and friendly relations. In particular, in 1979 Zurab Tsereteli’s monument “Happiness for Children of the World” presented by the artist as a gift to the Special Olympic Games for physically challenged children and monument “Prometheus”, his gift to the Brockport University were unveiled in Brockport, New York. The sculptor has implemented his respect and admiration for Anatoly Dobrynin’s outstanding personality in the sculptural portrait that is a centerpiece of the memorial plaque.

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