Humanitarian Projects

In the humanitarian sphere, «Interros» focuses on implementing long-term social programs to support education and culture in Russia.

The way «Interros» invests in non-commercial projects significantly differs from the routine sponsorship practice because it is not limited to a simple donation of funds. The Company positions itself not as a passive sponsor but on the contrary, as an active participant of the cultural process. Every «Interros» non-commercial project is initiated and implemented by a highly professional team. Active corporate participation approach to the cultural investment projects, which complies with most advanced international trends, helps to distance the Company from the impassive and condescending kind of patronage.

Implementation of any investment project of «Interros», whether deliberately profitable or humanitarian and non-commercial, is carefully and comprehensively elaborated in order to ensure its long-term character, efficiency and social value.

«Interros» Company was awarded with the Honorary Diploma of the President of the Russian Federation for significant philanthropic achievements in the field of culture and education.

«Interros» is the principal Russian partner of the State Hermitage, supporting its innovative projects. «Interros» President Vladimir Potanin was elected Chairman of the Hermitage Board of Trustees set up in 2003 in order to optimize the museum’s financial strategy and attract investments.

Today, the Company and this world’s major museum are focusing on the «Greater Hermitage» project, under which a unique museum and entertainment complex, housing new Hermitage exhibitions and commercial entertainment and community centers, is to be created around the Palace Square in the downtown Saint Petersburg.

Restoration of the Chariot of Glory crowning the arch of the General Staff building and of the decorations of the arch itself have become the first step in implementing this project. Both the government and the «Interros» Company met the restoration costs.

Thus within the framework of the «Greater Hermitage» project the historical magnificence of the famous Carlo Rossi’s architectural ensemble had been completely restored.

Vladimir Potanin also represents interests of the State Hermitage on the Board of Trustees of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, which is another strategic partner of the Russian museum in the «Greater Hermitage» project.

In 2001, a fundamentally new museum and exhibition complex, Hermitage-Guggenheim, was opened in Las Vegas with the «Interros» support. Establishment of the Hermitage-Guggenheim Foundation, with Vladimir Potanin as its chairman of the Board of Directors, was another symbol of continuing cooperation between the world’s two major museums and the «Interros» in the fields of arts and education.

In 2002, the President of «Interros» donated US$1 million to the Russian Ministry of Culture towards acquiring the Kazimir Malevich’s painting «Black Square,» which was handed over to the government sector of the Russian Federation Museum Fund and lent permanently to the Hermitage for administration. This acquisition of the painting constituted the biggest private donation to the state since the 1917 Revolution.

In the spring of 2003, a Russian-French cultural event was launched in Paris, dedicated to the Tercentenary of St. Petersburg. For the first time in many years, such a large-scale international project was not a government-run one: it was initiated, organized and sponsored by the «Interros». The key event of the program was the «Paris-St.Petersburg, 1800-1830. When Russia Spoke French…» exhibition, held under the patronage of Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Jacques Chirac.

French and Russian art masterpieces of the first 30 years of the 19th century, from collections belonging to the State Hermitage, other leading Russian museums and Musée de l’Armée (Paris), were exhibited at the Hôtel des Invalides from May to September. In the fall, the exhibits left Paris for St. Petersburg, where a new exhibition entitled «Russians in Paris!» opened on December 6, 2003. The exhibition, held in the Alexander Hall of the Winter Palace, concluded the Russian-French cultural program, which had become the biggest cultural event in Western Europe dedicated to St. Petersburg’s anniversary.

In 2001 Interros launched its publishing program. Through the book publishing, Interros intends to participate in the on-going cultural processes and to make available to the public the cultural treasures, which remain in storage of the museums and archives and are accessible only to a limited number of experts. Interros book publishing program crowned the long years of its practical research in this field. 1997 saw the publication of the first monograph in the series entitled «Cultural Heritage of Russia: from the collections of the Russian State Library». Cooperation of a company and one of the world’s biggest book depositaries led to the publication of five books in Russian and English languages.

Latest publications by «Interros» include a three-volume «Russia. Twentieth Century», «Moscow Metro», «Russian Theater. Illustrated Chronicles of Russian Theatrical Life», «1418 Days a photo chronicle dedicated to the 60th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, «Soviet Cinema.1919-1991».

Country’s libraries, Russian regional museums, art galleries and the major domestic and foreign museums joined the company as partners in this project.

The Vladimir Potanin Charity Fund was set up in 1999 with the aim of implementing large-scale projects in support of education and culture.

The «Interros» Company and its President Vladimir Potanin are the founders of the Fund who finance its activities and programs.

The Fund’s mission is to support social and cultural innovations and to assist the most active, talented and educated young people, who are considered the most promising resource of the Russian society, to realize their potential.

Annually the Fund provides about 400 grants and over 2000 scholarships.

Currently the Fund implements 5 scholarship and 7 grant programs.

Scholarship Programs:

• Federal Scholarship Program
• International Olympiads’ Winners Scholarship Program
• Scholarship Program for the Military Cadets
• Scholarship Program for Cadets of the Moscow University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs
• «Northern» Scholarship Program

Grant Programs:

• Grant Program for the Young Tutors
• Traineeship of the MGIMO (Moscow State Institute of Foreign Relations) at the Diplomatic Missions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation
• Foreign Traineeship for Norilsk Industrial Institute Students
• Grant Support for the Winners of TEFI and TEFI-Region TV Award
• Grants for the State Hermitage employees
• Grants for the Tutors of the higher educational institutions of the Russian Ministry of Defense
• «A Changing Museum in a Changing World» Contest.

The Fund supports the educational project of the St Petersburg University entitled «Russian Language and Modern Russia», programs of the Saint John the Divine Russian Orthodox University.

In September 2005 an Exhibition «RUSSIA!» was inaugurated at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (New York, USA) with the support of the Vladimir Potanin Charity Fund. The exhibition was opened at the time of the 60th anniversary of the United Nations celebrations. It was held under the patronage of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.

It was for the first time that such a large-scale retrospective of Russian art of the 12th – 21st centuries was exhibited outside Russia. Over 250 masterpieces were selected for this exhibition. The main purpose of the exhibition was to demonstrate Russia’s contribution to the world’s artistic culture, to outline the diversity and uniqueness of spiritual and aesthetic quest for a specific path of development of the Russian arts.

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