Roerich Pact - The Roerich Pact Chronology

The Roerich Pact Chronology

1930 – A project together with N. Roerich’s covering appeal to governments and peoples of all the countries was published and communicated to the governments, scientific, artistic and educational institutions of the world.

- Project of the Pact was represented to Committee on Museum affairs at League of Nations, and further it was referred to International committee for intellectual cooperation.

- Committees of the Roerich Pact and Banner of Peace were found in Paris and Bruges (Belgium)

1931 – An International Union of the Roerich Pact was found at Bruges under the guidance of a member of Belgium Committee for monument protection K. Tyulpink.

- 13-15 of September – first International conference dedicated to the Roerich Pact has been organized at Bruges. Representatives from group of European countries took part in this conference. A plan of promotion of the Pact ideas at educational institutes was developed, and contacts of International Union of the Roerich Pact with an International Committee for art affairs and Organization Committee for arms reduction were established.

1932, 7-9 of September - second International conference dedicated to the Roerich Pact had been organized at Bruges. Twenty two countries took part in its work. The Conference has resolved to found at Bruges a special institute for world assistance to implementation of the Roerich Pact ideas in public life. It also took a decision to appeal to all the countries to recognize the Pact as international treaty.

1933, November 15 – Organizing Committee of third international Conference dedicated to the Roerich Pact visited the USA President F. Roosevelt.

- 17-18 of November – Third International conference dedicated to the Roerich Pact was carried out in Washington. Thirty five countries have supported this conference and recommended the governments of all the countries to sign the Pact.

- December – 7th conference of Pan-American Union in Montevideo (Uruguay) has passed a resolution which recommended to the governments of American countries to join with the Roerich Pact.

1934, April 4 – A report of special committee of Pan-American union dedicated to Roerich Pact was approved.

- August 11 – USA President F Roosevelt has authorized a minister of agriculture H. Wolles to sign the Roerich Pact from USA.

- September 2 – A Committee of the Pact and Banner of Peace was formed in Harbin (Manchuria).

- A Committee for promotion of the Pact was formed at Bulgaria.

1935, April 15 – A Treaty named “international pact for protection of artistic and scientific institutions, historic monuments, missions and collections” (Roerich Pact) was signed by representatives of 21 countries in White House, Washington. A distinctive sign for identification of the protected objects (Banner of Peace) proposed by N. Roerich was approved in the frameworks of the Pact.

- July 2 – the Pact was ratified by USA Senate.

- July 10 - – the Pact was ratified by USA President.

- October 25 - – the Pact was promulgated by USA President.

President F. Roosevelt talked in his radio speech: “Presenting this Pact for signing by all the countries, we strive for that its world acceptance becomes a vital principle for preserving of modern civilization. This agreement has more profound significance than the text of this document” .

1937, October – First Congress of Baltic Roerich societies has resolved to create the committees of Roerich Pact in all Roerich societies of Baltic countries.

- First congress of international research (Paris) unanimously accepted a resolution about joining to the Roerich Pact.

1938, November 17 – the Banner of Peace was spread out in Karachi (India).

1942 – American-Russian culture association (ARCA) was formed. E. Hemingway, Ch. Chaplin, R. Kent, P. Geddes, E. Cooper, S. Kusevitsky, V. Tereschenko were its active contributors. The association’s activity was welcomed by world-known scientists Millikan and Compton.

1946, January 23 – first meeting of resumed New York Committee of the Pact and Banner of Peace has been conducted.

- April 18 – 6th Pan-Indian conference for cultural unity has supported the Pact.

1948, August – Indian government headed by J. Nehru has decided to approve the Roerich Pact.

1948-1949 – Italian association of Roerich Pact at Bologna has organized the work to support the Pact on a broad footing. Committees of the Roerich Pact and Banner of Peace worked in Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, France, England, Portugal, Brazil, Columbia, Uruguay, Bolivia and Cuba.

1949 – 4th session of general UNESCO conference has taken a decision to begin a work for international-law regulation in the field of cultural values protection during the military actions.

1950 – A New York Committee of the Roerich Pact has transferred all the documentation about the Pact to UNESCO. 5th session of general UNESCO conference entrusted the general director with preparation and sending of a draft of convention. Special committee of UNESCO has prepared the draft of international convention in view of given documents.

1954, May 14 –U.N.O and UNESCO Conference in Hague has accepted the “Convention for protection of cultural values in the case of armed conflicts” and a protocol accompanying it. The Second protocol to the Hague convention was accepted in March 1999 due to initiative and close participation of UNESCO. A text of the Hague convention pointed directly on that the base for it acceptance is a principle of cultural values protection during the war established at Hague peace conventions in 1899 and 1907 and also in the Roerich Pact. This Hague convention was signed by representatives from 37 countries .

1970, November 14 – “Convention about measures aimed on prohibition and prevention of illegal import, export and transfer of rights of property for cultural values” was accepted at 16th session of general U.N.O. conference for problems of education, science and culture in Paris.

1972, November 23 – “Convention about protection of world cultural and natural heritage” was accepted at 17th session of general U.N.O. conference for problems of education, science and culture in Paris.

1974 – Alpinists from Novosibirsk hoisted the Banner of Peace on the Roerich peak near Belukha Mountain (Altai).

1988, May 6 – Banner of Peace was hoisted at Northern Pole.

1990, February 11 – Soviet cosmonauts A. Balandin and A. Solovyov took the Banner of Peace on the board of orbital station “Mir”.

1995, June 26 – Banner of Peace was presented to G. fon Moltke, deputy of secretary for political questions at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

1997 – Banner of Peace was given to the crew of Soviet orbital station “Soyuz-TM” in the frameworks of scientific-enlightener project “Banner of Peace”. It was delivered to orbital station “Mir” and remains in cosmos during two years (August 5, 1997 – August 28, 1999), accompanying the work of international crews.

1998, October 9 – Banner of Peace was hoisted over the Centre-Museum named after N. Roerich in Moscow.

1999, January 5 – Banner of Peace was presented to President of Kazakhstan Republic N. Nazarbayev at President Palace (Almaty). Space pilot A. Leonov and Professor S. Kapitsa took part in the ceremony. - March 26 – Second protocol to “Convention for protection of cultural values in case of armed conflict” (Hague, 1954) was signed in Hague. The document was written by six languages: English, Arabic, Spanish, Chinese, Russian and French.

2000, January 8 – Banner of Peace was established at Southern Pole.

- January 28 – Banner of Peace from the Southern Pole was presented to U.N.O. General Secretary K. Annan as a gift from expedition centre “Arctic”, International Centre of the Roerichs and the project “Banner of Peace”.

2003, October 17 – The Convention about protection of non-material cultural heritage was accepted by 32nd session of the General U.N.O. conference for education, science and culture.

2004, October 25 – Banner of Peace from the board of cosmic station “Mir” was presented to Speaker of Indian Parliament Sri Somnath Chatterji on the occasion of 100th Sviatoslav Roerich’s Anniversary.