The discussion was based on factual materials and illustrations of the book “Russia. XXth century. A brief chronicle of wars, revolutions and conflicts ”, which was written by the President of the European Foundation of Slavic Literature and Culture, Professor Igor Bondarenko, in collaboration with the Russian scientist Dmitry Klimov. This unique publication interested our compatriot from Banska Bystriza - a scientist, a historian by profession, a candidate of historical sciences, Valery Lebedev.
He made a brief presentation of his view on the epochal events of the XXth century - the Russian revolution, two world wars, the formation of postwar blocs and their collapse, the current international position of the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the role of the USSR and Russia in these events. Particular attention was paid to the interpretation of the Munich Agreement of 1938, which concerned the division of Czechoslovakia. Long-term work with historical archives and the memories of eyewitnesses to the events made it possible to develop his own view of many controversial assessments of events.
The discussion participants were interested to know about the peculiarities of the coverage of these events in the modern Czech and Slovak media, about the growing interest in Russia in recent years, about the dialectic of views on the events of the Czech spring of 1968. Some Czech journalists see an analogy with the Ukrainian Maydan.
A special role of the discussion was given to the excellent books that are devoted to the Great Patriotic War, the history of the Cossacks, the chronicles of wars and revolutions, which are kept in the library of the Russian Center and are available to everyone.
At the end of the discussion, the historian Valery Lebedev was presented with books with the author's autograph. He accepted them with words of sincere gratitude.